As International Women's Day approaches, it's a time to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality and to celebrate the achievements of women around the world. At Heyllo Recruitment, based in the vibrant North East of England, we are proud to join the global movement in recognising and empowering women in the workforce. In this article, we'll explore the significance of International Women's Day and how Heyllo Recruitment is playing its part in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The Importance of International Women's Day:

International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, is a day dedicated to honoring the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It's also a day to raise awareness of gender inequality and advocate for women's rights and empowerment. The theme for this year's International Women's Day is #BreakTheBias, highlighting the importance of challenging stereotypes, bias, and discrimination against women in all spheres of life.

Heyllo Recruitment's Commitment to Gender Equality:

At Heyllo Recruitment, we believe that diversity is our strength, and we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed. We actively promote gender equality by ensuring fair recruitment practices, offering training and development opportunities for women, and providing support for work-life balance.

Celebrating Women's Achievements:

In honor of International Women's Day, Heyllo Recruitment is celebrating the achievements of women in the North East who have made significant contributions to their industries. Through social media campaigns, blog posts, and networking events, we are shining a spotlight on inspiring women leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals who are breaking barriers and making a difference in their communities.

Empowering Women Through Apprenticeships:

As part of our efforts to empower women in the workforce, Heyllo Recruitment offers apprenticeship opportunities in a variety of industries, including Business Administration, Digital Marketing, and many more.  These apprenticeships provide women with valuable skills, qualifications, and pathways to career advancement, helping to close the gender gap in traditionally male-dominated sectors.

Looking Towards the Future:

While progress has been made towards gender equality, there is still work to be done. Heyllo Recruitment remains committed to championing women's rights and advancing gender equality in the North East and beyond. By fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment, we aim to empower women to reach their full potential and thrive in their careers.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and take action to #BreakTheBias. At Heyllo Recruitment, we stand in solidarity with women everywhere and pledge to continue our efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable society. Together, we can build a future where every woman has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.
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​Over the past decade, companies across industries have digitized their operations and processes. Even now, businesses are employing artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline workflows and supply chains. As a result, today’s job seekers require specialized skills to help them stand out from the crowd.

While some colleges, universities and training providers have modified or expanded their curriculum to meet the growing demand for digital know-how, many educators struggle to provide the essential skills candidates need. In this blog, we reveal the 5 key most valued digital skills that educators should offer to ensure their Candidates land the top jobs!

What are digital skills?

Before we go into specific digital employability skills, let’s look at what they are. As more and more people go online to research, seek out information and purchase, companies of all shapes and sizes need people that know how to operate, promote and communicate online. Digital skills are crucial for businesses across industries that want to raise brand awareness, offer great social customer service, generate leads, and increase revenue.

Unesco’s definition of digital skills is ‘a range of abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information. They enable people to create and share digital content, communicate and collaborate, and solve problems for effective and creative self-fulfillment in life, learning, work, and social activities.’ Candidates that learn digital skills not only make themselves more employable but future-proof their career by understanding key digital channels.

So let’s dive in to find out what are the top 5 employable skills for candidates and employers.

1. Social Media

According to a recent study, there are over 4.6 billion active social media users worldwide with people using an average of 7.5 social networks each month. These figures show a 10 percent increase in the number of global social users in just a year with no sign of slowing down.

The ability to understand and use social media effectively is a core and valued skill that every professional should have. Social media marketing goes beyond posting a tweet or Facebook update; it is about understanding the dynamic relationship between brands, influencers, and consumers. To put it simply, businesses need to reach out to customers in ways that will drive traffic to their website—or product—for potential conversion. It now also plays a key role in providing good customer service as many consumers take to social media to ask questions or make comments.

2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Beyond social media, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is one of the most influential disciplines that marketers have come to rely on. To put things in perspective, 81% of internet users search online for a product or service to buy, with Google accounting for 70% of that traffic.
Candidates with SEM experience can increase the visibility of a company’s website on a search engine (e.g., Google or Bing) primarily via paid advertising. By doing so, the business will attract valuable web traffic from the search engine results page.

By using SEM, candidates will be able to capture precious organic search traffic results. That’s why marketers, content managers, and webmasters spend a great deal of time optimizing websites, particularly for mobile and ad campaigns to ensure the highest conversion rates possible. This means that jobseekers with a working knowledge of search marketing will be very valuable to organizations to ensure they are searchable and visible.

3. Data Analytics

During Covid-19, many marketers reverted to mass communications to target customers rather than using data-driven precision marketing. This was a mistake. According to McKinsey, one consumer goods company predicted that demand for beauty products would increase as people came out of lockdown. By tracking re-openings and using data, they focused their media spend and saw a double-digit increase in sales.

The lesson? Data can provide candidates with a wealth of information that - if used correctly - can result in effective marketing campaigns that drive conversions, sales, and revenue. 
Data analytics essentially allow candidates to make educated and data-driven decisions to drive better business insights. Numbers define whether a campaign was successful and by what percentage. The key is knowing what data to collect and measure to improve the next campaign. Companies don’t want to waste valuable marketing money based on trends or gut instincts. It’s about maximizing each campaigns’ effectiveness and optimizing the return on investment.

4. Content Marketing

Content comes in many forms – blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, even social media status updates. Marketers may spend their time optimising keywords and advertising campaigns, but content is still king. After all, a website or social media page is driven by its content and without it, customers have no way of understanding the benefits of a product or service.
Content is crucial in driving brand awareness and can establish brands or influencers as thought leaders. Therefore new hires need to understand the importance of creating not just content, but content that is relevant to keyword research and optimizing them in a strategy. With experience and knowledge in content marketing, candidates will have a valuable and employable skill that will set them up for a career in any industry. 

5. Email Marketing

One of the best ways to obtain and retain leads is via a tried and tested method: email.
Email is one of the oldest forms of direct marketing and still packs a punch in customer acquisition and retention. From startups to multinational corporations, a great email marketing strategy helps launch successful campaigns.

An experienced digital marketer knows that each funnel stage has to be carefully planned. From the signup page—including its placement on a website—to the welcome email, every step needs to be optimized to attract users and build engagement. People may change social media accounts or home addresses, but people aren’t prone to change their email addresses. That’s why professionals that understand the power of email marketing to connect directly with consumers are in high demand.
 
Heyllo offer a range of digital courses - click here for a full list. We can also offer three Level 2 face to face courses with more courses. If this is of interest or you would like further information, then please call a member of our team on 01429 363160.

Or you can register your interest by clicking on the button below!
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Creating diverse, equal, and inclusive workplaces is crucial for any organization's success, and this has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Achieving diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) requires a deliberate and intentional effort, particularly in the hiring process.

The first step towards promoting DEI is to ensure that job postings are inclusive. This involves creating job descriptions that are clear, concise, and free from gender-biased language. Using gender-neutral language can increase the number of diverse candidates in the applicant pool. Companies should also avoid language that might be perceived as discriminatory or exclusionary, such as words that imply age or able-bodiedness. By consciously crafting job descriptions that appeal to a wide range of candidates, organizations can attract diverse talent and create opportunities for underrepresented groups.

Companies must ensure that their hiring process is free from bias. This means creating an objective and structured interview process that focuses on the candidate's skills and qualifications rather than personal characteristics. Blind resume screening tools and diverse interview panels can help to reduce unconscious bias. By removing identifying information from resumes and involving individuals from different backgrounds in the interview process, organizations can make more objective hiring decisions. Additionally, using standardized interview questions that are job-related and unbiased can create a fairer and more equitable evaluation process for all candidates.

Furthermore, companies can promote DEI by implementing initiatives that create a more inclusive workplace culture. This can include providing diversity and inclusion training for all employees to raise awareness and foster understanding of different perspectives and experiences. Employee resource groups (ERGs) can be established to support underrepresented groups and provide a sense of belonging. These groups can offer networking opportunities, mentorship programs, and forums for open dialogue and collaboration. Implementing policies that address bias and discrimination, such as zero-tolerance policies and reporting mechanisms, demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive work environment.

By creating an inclusive workplace culture, companies can attract and retain a more diverse workforce. The benefits of DEI are numerous. A diverse workforce brings together individuals with unique backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, leading to increased creativity and innovation. Employees who feel valued and included are more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to the organization, resulting in higher retention rates. Additionally, organizations that embrace DEI have a stronger competitive advantage as they can better understand and serve diverse customer bases.

In conclusion, DEI is essential for any successful organization. Companies must take deliberate and intentional steps to create inclusive job postings, eliminate bias from the hiring process, and promote an inclusive workplace culture. By doing so, they can benefit from a more diverse and innovative workforce and improve their overall success. Embracing DEI not only aligns with ethical and moral values but also enhances organizational performance and fosters a more inclusive society.

If you would like to discuss any of your recruitment or training needs, please email [email protected] or call us on 01429 363160.

#DEIinWorkplaces #InclusiveJobPostings #UnbiasedHiringProcess #InclusiveWorkplaceCulture #DiverseWorkforce #PromoteDEI
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Artificial intelligence and automation are revolutionizing the recruitment industry, empowering companies to leverage advanced technology in their hiring processes. With the advent of AI-powered tools, organizations now have the capability to streamline various aspects of recruitment, including resume screening, video interviews, and even decision-making.

The potential benefits are numerous, from enhancing efficiency to addressing bias in hiring practices. However, this technological shift also brings forth important discussions around the role of human judgment in the recruiting landscape.

Employing AI algorithms to screen resumes is a prime example of how technology is reshaping recruitment. These intelligent systems can quickly analyze large volumes of resumes, identifying relevant qualifications and experience, and presenting recruiters with the most promising candidates. By automating this initial filtering process, organizations can save significant time and effort, allowing human recruiters to focus on more nuanced assessments.

Another area where AI is making an impact is in conducting video interviews. With AI-powered platforms, companies can now analyze facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language to extract valuable insights about candidates' suitability for specific roles. Such technology provides a standardized evaluation framework, reducing subjective biases that can arise from human interviews.

The use of AI in hiring decisions is perhaps the most contentious aspect. While algorithms can provide data-driven recommendations based on objective criteria, concerns emerge regarding the potential exclusion of qualified candidates due to biases embedded in the algorithms themselves. Striking the right balance between human judgment and AI assistance becomes crucial to ensure fair and ethical outcomes.

As the recruitment industry continues to embrace AI and automation, it is imperative to establish robust guidelines and regulations to safeguard against unintended consequences. Human oversight and ethical considerations should remain at the core of decision-making processes, while leveraging the power of technology to enhance efficiency and promote inclusivity.

If you would like to discuss any of your recruitment or training needs, please email [email protected] or call us on 01429 363160.
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#ArtificialIntelligence #Automation #Recruitment #Technology #AIinRecruitment #HiringProcess #Efficiency #Bias #HumanJudgment #ScreeningResumes #VideoInterviews #DecisionMaking #Algorithms #StandardizedEvaluation #Ethics #Inclusivity
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The 40 schemes range from engineering to health and safety and includes more than 200 apprenticeships which are degree level.

Amazon employs more than 70,000 staff in the UK and said the scheme would help more people get the skills in demand in the job market. BT Group recently announced plans to recruit more than 600 apprentices and graduates for September 2022.

The group, one of the UK's largest private sector apprenticeship employers, said it would recruit for posts in its engineering, customer service, applied research, and cyber-security areas.
The latest recruitment drive for both companies come as firms in the UK report growing problems filling skilled roles. Amazon has also previously offered a signing-on bonus of £1,000 to fill some roles. Amazon's apprenticeships programme covers a wide range of areas including publishing, retailing, marketing, and a programme focused on environmental, social, and corporate governance.
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If you need helping filling roles or need help understanding Apprenticeships, then get in touch with us so we can help you ‘Say Heyllo’ to new candidates.
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