Blog

Having researched the automotive press recently, it is fantastic to see how well March & April went for the retail industry, hearing some great success stories since businesses have re-opened their doors. This has also been reflected in the recruitment market as Southgate Consulting has been working at full capacity on several confidential Senior Director and Management assignments, both nationally and internationally.

We are now seeing key Clients move away from generic advertising of roles to a much more targeted search approach for high quality candidates, allowing a confidential, subtle, and direct shortlist of pre-screened candidates. This is the approach Southgate Consulting prides itself on and we have been delivering quick and accurate recruitment solutions to all our clients throughout the most recent lockdown.

If you have a recruitment requirement needing a consultative and guaranteed approach, why not give us a call?

Southgate Consulting is delighted to continue working alongside the Automotive Industry during the third lockdown, completing both National and International hires. Having successfully placed a select number of senior Directors at the end of last year, we are currently working with our Clients on a number of confidential senior opportunities globally.

We also continue to assist candidates in securing new roles in an ever challenging and changing employment market. Our support includes group Zoom calls, individual Career Guidance  or through a CV re-write or a LinkedIn profile overhaul.

If we can be of an assistance either in recruiting for senior vacancies or career guidance, do please do get in contact with David or Callum Southgate on 01235 863 525 or email “david” or “callum” @southgateconsulting.com.

Callum and I would like to wish all Clients and Candidates a very successful 2021. It has been fantastic working with businesses and individuals in the last year who have managed to find a way forward hiring candidates through Southgate Consulting and also helping those who have been less fortunate in securing a new position. We enter the New Year with optimism, realism and a determination to never give up. If you are looking for professional, pragmatic and friendly advice in automotive recruitment we are here to help…

Southgate Consulting invites you to join our Networking and Career Search Zoom Session on Thursday November 26^th at 15.00 hrs. As we move towards the end of 2020 we appreciate many of you may still be out of work and finding the employment market quite challenging.  So please join us for an hour on-line to help with advice on how to make the whole process easier for you.

We would be delighted to answer any questions, so please email them to  callum@southgateconsulting.com and confirm your attendance. We look forward to offering our help and support.

Due to the most recent Government lockdown announcement, Southgate Consulting will be working remotely until restrictions are lifted. Please rest assured we will be fully contactable throughout this period and continue to offer our high level of service to candidates and clients alike.

Please do contact us on 01235 863525 if there is anything we can help you with.

With the current employment market awash with available candidates we quite understand why companies have shied away from using Executive Search and Selection specialists and are directly advertising for candidates.

However, our research has shown that in general, online advertising is not precisely reaching the talent that is required. Are you receiving too many applicants to properly assess, or maybe too few? Do they have the right level of expertise? Are they geographically relevant? Is their cultural fit correct?

If you are experiencing these problems with your recruitment, why not think about a quick, efficient, highly targeted and selective process (which presents a cost saving against a full Executive Search fee) to deliver a targeted and screened shortlist back to your HR or Recruitment Team for them to select from. Our service includes the following:

Features

• Approach, identification and pre-qualification of highly suitable candidates for your vacancy.
• Accurate selection of a manageable number of shortlist candidates who fulfil all essential criteria for the vacancy in question.
• Collation of all relevant material at the “front end” of the process.
• Approval from suitable and interested candidates to present their details.
• Quick, accurate and manageable – from brief to delivery of identified, interested and suitable candidates, 12–15 days.

Benefits

• Confidential – employees and business competition cannot see your recruitment activity.
• Take advantage of using Southgate Consulting’s ability to gain quick and accurate responses to direct approaches with our reputation in the Executive Search space.
• Release time and resource within your HR or Recruitment departments at peak periods to concentrate on other urgent recruitment activity.
• We work seamlessly with you to hand back the shortlist for your own in-house interview and completion process.
• Fixed agreed fee structure, a saving against the cost of a full recruitment fee.

If this could be relevant for your business, please do contact either David Southgate 07778 159555 or Callum Southgate 07896 301131 at Southgate Consulting for further information.

If you have been made redundant in the automotive sector and need some inspiration in your job search, why not join us for a Zoom call and interact with a group of others in a similar situation. Our 45 minute session will give you the opportunity to network, share information advice, tips and re-motivate you to keep searching!
Connect in with us, sending your email address and we will let you know the dates of our forthcoming sessions.

Behind the good news of some businesses experiencing uplift in Sales and Aftersales activity at present, realistically the Automotive sector is facing a swathe of redundancies with unemployment figures unprecedented, certainly in my experience of working in Recruitment and Executive Search over many years.

So, here are some tips on how to prepare for those trying to find their way to new employment, self-employment or interim management over the forthcoming months.

• Your CV and LinkedIn profile should be outstanding, accurate, honest and engaging not just acceptable.
• Invest in having this prepared professionally by a reputably Consultancy who knows the sectors you are trying to target.
• Analyse what you are good at, not necessarily what you have done, and ensure these skills are highlighted in a brief statement at the top of your CV.
• Network with people who will help you access employment and give you sound advice.
• Only apply for roles that are ideally suited to your skills, location, cultural fit and working strengths.
•  Ask the question “Why should this company invest in me rather than someone else?”
• Analyse how you can bring added value to an organisation. In the current economic climate, it is likely you will be taking on additional responsibility or possibly two roles. Embrace and welcome this challenge.
• Those in senior more highly paid roles may need to adjust their both their career and financial expectations in the short to medium term.
• Have a Plan A and Plan B. If you cannot find employment, what else are you going to do? Examine self-employment options, skills and abilities you have that could form a small business model of your own. Be prepared to re-invent yourself.
• Be practical. Look locally for businesses needing immediate assistance. Relocation and long notice periods are a real negative for employers at the moment.

Southgate Consulting is delighted to be working on several assignments currently, for both senior and more junior level positions. This has given us the opportunity to engage with some truly promising future talent coming through and into the industry, and these individuals are being offered the opportunity to work with some great brands and inspirational business leaders too.

We are here to support all candidates and clients in Recruitment and Outplacement areas during these uncertain times and always happy to have a conversation to see how we can best help you with your future career decisions.