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Great advice from #LizRyan – LinkedIn Contributor;

“The best way to end a job interview is to get up and go. Don’t linger, your time is valuable. You are just as happy to leave as you were to arrive. The interview is over and you have other important places to be.

The most successful job candidates are the ones who don’t need to beg for the job. They show up, have a conversation, talk about the opportunity (more than they talk about themselves) and ask the questions they need to ask.

They don’t communicate the message that they desperately need this job. Managers hire people they have confidence in. When you convey confidence in yourself, other people feel it too.

The best way to leave a job interview is to rise from your chair, extend your hand for a quick shake and say, “Great conversation — it was wonderful to meet you.”

Don’t ask them how long it will take them to get back to you, or when they expect to make a decision”.

Southgate Consulting has just updated its Privacy Policy ensuring confidentiality and security for both Clients and Candidates alike, in accordance with the forthcoming 2018 GDPR regulations.  This will ensure we continue our strategy of maintaining your data and information securely, and that it is not passed on to any individual, company or organisation without your prior approval.

Southgate Consulting has just completed its most senior Director placement so far in 2018, where we were asked to assist with the recruitment process for a highly respected privately owned multi-franchise dealer group.  This client made the whole process so easy and pleasurable for the candidates involved, demonstrating that they understood exactly how to attract, as well as assess, potential new employees to a business in a market facing change and challenges.

Some of the key points, resulting in a job offer (which culminated in mutual delight from client and candidate alike), were as follows;

• Flexibility on meeting times and locations to suit all parties during the interview process.
• straightforward first, second and final presentation interview process conducted with the key decision markers in the business, completed over a concise three week period.
• Accessibility of contact between candidate and Directors of the business at all times.
• Thorough feedback from the client on all candidates interviewed, in a clear and pragmatic style making feedback straightforward.
• Openness and flexibility when undertaking job offer negotiations, with quick decisions make on both sides.
• Formal offer letter, contract of employment and company information delivered 12 hours after the offer has been struck.
• The successful candidate applauded the client’s comprehensive, factual and informative joining pack that arrived after verbal offer agreement.
• Within a further 48 hours resignation had been tendered by the candidate to their current employer.

So, nothing out of the ordinary really, but a practical and pragmatic lesson in how to reach a satisfactory recruitment conclusion, quickly, positively and professionally for all concerned.

There is no doubt that first impressions are vitally important, but communication and conduct throughout the first meeting will be much more positive if you have done preparation well.  So research, research, research and follow these points to ensure a second meeting is forthcoming;

10 point check list for your initial interview

• Presentation and preparation is critical before you go into your meeting.
• Research is easy to do online and offline.  How much have you done?
• Do not be either nervous or over confident on first contact with your interviewer.
• Does the interviewer want you to lead or follow in these discussions?
• Answer competency based questions factually and succinctly.
• Are you an expert in the interviewer’s eyes, but not overqualified?
• Is your perceived cultural fit correct with the company you are applying to?
• How can you add value to this business?
• Are you seeing yourself through the interviewer’s eyes as well as your own?
• Does the interviewer know you are definitely interested in the role on departure?

Our recent visit to JLR Classic Works Division at Ryton, Coventry was a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours lapping up the best of British Motor Hertitage and also an understanding of their reborn programme.  A full rebuilt Series 1 Land Rover or Jaguar E type, or perhaps the “new” Defender V8 70th Anniversary model, can be painstakingly re-built here maintaining originality and the unique characteristics of any one vehicle.  A potential buyer of the new or old JLR product has the opportunity to feast their eyes on a unique history, heritage and timeline of the brand.  An inspirational and motivational moment, well worth the trip.  Well done JLR for their investment in the past as well as the future.

January 1999

Nineteen years ago, the Euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999. The same day Southgate Consulting was born with a draft business plan, a loan, a telephone, no website, no staff and an outline plan to improve recruitment advertising for the automotive industry in the UK. Occupying the same location that we do today in Ardington, Oxfordshire we would like to offer a massive “thank you” to all those that helped make the business work initially and subsequently, and unequivocally working within the Automotive Sector has been a pleasure and an honour. We are looking forward to the next nineteen years and whatever changes the industry has to contend with!

Signing off with our original 1999 logo.

Seasons Greetings

We would just like to take this opportunity to say to all of our Clients and Candidates a very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

It has been another great year at Southgate Consulting and we are all looking forward to the opportunities 2018 offers us all. Offering our bespoke Automotive Executive Search, Selective Recruitment and Career Guidance Programmes we will continue to work closely with everyone to provide the high level of Consultancy Service Southgate Consulting is respected for.

David, Callum and Jo will be available on their emails during the break, and have their mobiles close by. We will be returning to the office on January 2^nd 2018.