News & Views Archives - Page 7 of 11

Why good interview feedback really matters

Our team been working exclusively with a long-standing client to recruit an Assistant Management Accountant. Ideally someone with bright enquiring mind, keen to learn with an accounting and finance degree. Some experience in a finance role would be ideal. After shortlisting down from 18 candidates to the best five, the CVs went across and our client interviewed all five this week.

The good news is that three have been selected to undertake some online testing and have a second interview in a few days.

The bad news is that two candidates are not being progressed.

The client and Astute were able to discuss detailed, constructive feedback for each candidate including some tips for the future.

We fed back to one of the candidates not being progressed and wanted to share what the feedback was including some constructive tips for them in answering unplanned questions and focussing their answers.

“…while its bad news I’ve not got a second interview – it’s great to get positive rounded feedback after the first interview. I can use this experience and feedback to help me prepare and perform better in future interviews, and hopefully get a second interview next time! Thanks for letting me know and taking the time to ring me.”

He has been impressed with the process at Astute Recruitment Ltd, and thanked us for taking the time to call him and pass on the feedback.

If someone has taken the time to attend an interview – they deserve at the very least to get some constructive post- interview feedback. That feedback may just help them secure a second interview and a job offer next time.

“It’s not just learning how to prepare for an interview that counts.

It’s also learning how to perform in an interview. That takes time, practice, and crucially, feedback!”

This is why our team at Astute Recruitment encourages a collaborative relationship with our clients throughout the recruitment process. Good interview feedback from the finance manager/ line manager/ HR professional recruiting, really helps our team inform our candidates on how they can improve their performance on an interview.

From how to answer a question to coping with nerves, unless a person has interview practice and good feedback from the recruitment consultant and/ or client, it is very hard for them to learn how they can come across better in the actual interview itself.

For another useful post on more interview tips and advice, you can see another of our blogs on our website, using the following link: https://www.astuterecruitment.com/6-interview-questions-and-answers-to-help-you-nail-the-perfect-job-in-the-pandemic/

If you would like any more advice or help around interviews, arranging interviews remotely – let us know.

An article by Mary Maguire

MD Astute Recruitment Ltd

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/mary-maguire/18/73/553

7 astute steps to successful cash flow management collaboration by an expert!

Cash is King! Having an accurate measure of your company’s cash is always critical, now more than ever. Here at Astute, as part of a new series of articles, we are sharing 7 simple steps to guide you, in collaboration with a fully qualified accountant and expert in providing cash flow advice and more to SME businesses and larger organisations.

David Thorley is an experienced, fully qualified Finance Director with a proven career in managing the financial tillers of several businesses. Together, we wanted to share his 7 steps to achieve successful cash flow management.

Over to David….

“We need a 13-week cash flow!

An all too familiar phrase that I have heard over the years from banks and finance providers and in these uncertain times an especially challenging request even for experienced number crunchers!

You can, however, meet this challenge using the following simple tips: –

1. Communication with your finance provider is crucial – whatever the reason, DO NOT make promises you know you cannot keep and DEFINITELY DO NOT say it can’t be done!

2. Very few businesses can accurately predict cash flows, but everyone can make an informed forecast.

3. The past may not be an accurate predictor of the future, but it can be an indicator! Summarise the cash flows over the previous 6 – 12 months over key headings and use for forecasting future trends.

4. All forecasting relies heavily on assumptions that identify the key sensitivities (e.g. you could be predicting quarterly rent payments being agreed to be deferred or moved to monthly).

5. Look for seasonal fluctuations in income or expenses – right now this could be forecasting recovery of previous levels of sales over a 3 to 6-month period.

6. It’s not unusual for the balancing number (to keep within the facility), to be payments to creditors and, in times of extreme cash pressure, this is inevitable; but again, communication is vital to avoid going on stop with crucial suppliers.

7. You may need to prepare more than one forecast – based on different assumptions. Again communicate the basis of the chosen forecast when it is shared.

The most important point is to always try to anticipate potential issues. Banks particularly appreciate early warnings especially if it is a potential breach of facility as it indicates a degree of control.”

Great tips so thank you David!

If you need a cash flow expert in your team, call Astute and we would be delighted to assist you.

We will be issuing more articles and tips on a wide range of accountancy, finance, HR and recruitment issues in collaboration with experts in these fields.

If you have found this article informative and helpful, please let Mary Maguire at Astute Recruitment know as feedback is always welcome. Feel free to share this article with others who you feel could find this useful.

#cashflow #CashIsKing #accountancy #finance #financedirector #cfo #financetips #BeAstute

Mental Health Week Can Your Business Afford to Ignore Mental Health?

We investigate the key impacts, costs, AND savings to companies of mental health at work.

Mental health has increasingly been highlighted as a key factor in business and employee performance, success and productivity.

This year’s Mental Health Week has special importance with the global fight against covid sars 2. Millions of workers, everywhere, across the world have been impacted.

Some working remotely, some furloughed. Some facing redundancy. Some already recently made redundant.

People’s work suroundings and working conditions have been turned upside down in just a few, short months, and whilst efforts to crank up the wheels of industry are in motion, the working landscape is likely to have been changed forever.

Nearly 1 in 7 people, almost 15% suffer some degree of mental health problems at work.

Men in full time employment are half as likely as women to experience mental health problems.

Nearly 13% of all staff absences in the UK can be attributed directly to mental health conditions.

According to research, improvements to mental health frameworks at work could equate to over £8bn in savings for UK businesses alone!

In today’s uncertain ecconomy, business owners, Finance Directors and senior management are more conscious than ever to seek good returns on investment and save money and more importantly improve staff engagement, morale and resilience.

What better way than to invest in staff?

But what are the cost benefits? How can this improve my balance sheet and company performance?

According to The Mental Health Foundation, workplace interventions including employee screening and care management strategies for those living with (or at risk of) depression was estimated to cost £30.90 per employee for assessment, and a further £240.00 for the use of CBT to manage the problem, way back in 2009 alone.

An economic model conducted in a company of 500 employees where two thirds are offered and accept the treatment, an investment of £20,676 will result in a net profit of approximately £83,278 over a two year period.

So, how can employers, HR teams, business leaders put in place policies to effectively improve employee wellbeing and mental health in their workforce?

Make it personal.

Employ personalised, tailored information for staff

Create bespoke advice specific to your staff, your business and working environment

Create risk assessment questionaires

Encourage staff to watch online seminars

Implement online workshops using experts

Use experts. You don’t have to do this alone. Use businesses like Precise HR Ltd, who can give honest, tailored advice specific to your company, workforce, industry and importantly, your budget!

The cost?

Approximately £80 for every employee, for 12 months.

The saving?

According to the Mental Health Foundation, for a company with 500 employees, where all employees undergo interventions, it is estimated that an initial investment of £40,000 will yield a net return of £347,722 in savings. Mostly due to reduced presenteeism (lost productivity caused by an employee working while ill) and absenteeism (work hours missed due to ill health).

In another article by Michael Parsonage and Geena Saini, their report highlights that mental health problems in the UK workforce cost employers almost £35 billion just 3 years ago.

They broke down the overall costs as follows: –

£10.6 billion in sickness absence;
£21.2 billion in reduced productivity at work, or ‘presenteeism’
£3.1 billion in replacing staff who leave their jobs because of their mental health.

So, conclusively, the costs of ignoring mental health for your employees, simply can’t be ignored.

More useful links for detailed reports, information and advice on Mental Health issues: –

The Mental Health Foundation

Precise Hr Ltd

The Centre For Mental Health

The UK Government’s Latest Advice on Mental Health and Wellbeing

…………. Below 2b curated…….

References

Lelliott, P., Tulloch, S., Boardman, J., Harvey, S., & Henderson, H. (2008). Mental health and work. Retrieved from gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212266/hwwb-mental-health-and-work.pdf

Stansfeld, S., Clark, C., Bebbington, P., King, M., Jenkins, R., & Hinchliffe, S. (2016). Chapter 2: Common mental disorders. In S. McManus, P. Bebbington, R. Jenkins, & T.Brugha (Eds.), Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014. Leeds: NHS Digital.

ONS. (2014). Full Report: Sickness Absence on the Labour Market, February 2014. Retrieved from webarchive. nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_353899.pdf [Accessed 28/07/16].

Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. (2009). Briefing 40: Removing Barriers. The facts about mental health and employment. Retrieved from ohrn.nhs.uk/resource/policy/TheFactsaboutMentalHealth.pdf

Knapp, M., McDaid, D., & Parsonage, M. (2011). Mental Health Promotion and Mental Illness Prevention: The Economic Case. Retrieved from gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/215626/dh_126386.pdf [Accessed 02/07/16].

Astute Recruitment Ltd explores VE Day 2020 uncovering the historic events that led to VE Day 75 years ago

Today people in countries across the globe are fighting a very different war with a very different foe. Fitting then that on the 8th of May 2020, we celebrate VE Day, but not just any VE Day. Instead, it is the 75th anniversary from when the Allies secured victory in Europe. Thats what V.E. day stands for. ‘Victory in Europe’.

We should take hope and heart that the most vicious of foes those years ago could be and was defeated and our current foe, COVID-19, will, in time, also be defeated.

For now, we need to remind ourselves of the sacrifices and heartache that our ancestors undertook to secure a peace that has lasted ever since in Western Europe. Take heart from the fact that we all have it in ourselves to be inspirational & courageous. Together, we can overcome any obstacle whether human or biological if we work together and stand united. And as the country unites in some much-needed celebrations, we wanted to put together a brief history of the key events that triggered and finally resolved what was the Second World War.

How we got to VE Day

In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party took control in Germany with ambitious plans to expand beyond Germany. Early in 1939, Germany gained control of Austria, the Czech Republic, & Italy as an ally. The UK, France & others were concerned, but most countries were still wary of war after the horrors and impacts of the First World War. Following an invasion of Poland, and war was finally declared by the Allies in September 1939.

World War 2.

The war took many huge twists and turns, with the victorious side looking to be either Hitler or the Allies in equal turn. Germany was extremely successful using a method of quick, superior attacks – the ‘Blitzkrieg’ (lightning war in German). Eventually, the tide turned in favour of the Allies with German troops pushed back & conquered territories being liberated. By February 1945, the Allies had entered Germany and by late April 1945, Berlin was captured.

By the 7th May, both Italy & Germany had lost the very leaders who had taken them into war, & both had signed a total, unconditional surrender, effective from the 8th May.

Over 1 million people celebrated in the streets throughout Britain to mark the end of the European part of the war. In London, crowds thronged, cheered and gathered from Trafalgar Square along The Mall and all the way to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI & Queen Elizabeth, with Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds.

The young Princesses Elizabeth (now our Queen) and her sister, Margaret, were given discreet permission to go incognito and celebrate with the public.

The End of the war.

VE Day only acknowledged the end of fighting in Europe, not the end of World War 2. Japan was still fighting against the Allies in May 1945. It wasn’t until August 1945 that Japan would surrender, with the official end of the 2nd World war signed and ratified in September 1945.

Think of St George and you’re probably picturing a heroic knight, slaying a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon! As the country’s patron saint, today, the 23rd April 2020 St George’s story is as iconic as his white and red flag.

However, like many early saints, the exact details of his life remain a mystery. Here, we separate the facts from the fiction, establishing the truth behind the legend of St George.

1. ST GEORGE WASN’T ENGLISH!

St George might be hailed as a national hero, but he was actually born – in the 3rd century AD – more than 2,000 miles away from England in Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey).

He is thought to have died in Lydda (modern-day Israel) in the Roman province of Palestine in AD 303. It is believed that his tomb was in a place called ‘Lod’, a centre of Christian pilgrimage.

2. ST GEORGE WASN’T A KNIGHT!

Often portrayed as a knight in shining armour, the truth is less fanciful.

Whilst St George was depicted from the 11th century as a heroic knight or a warrior on horseback, it is more likely that he was a humble officer in the Roman army.

3. ST GEORGE WAS A MARTYR

Like many saints, St George was described as a martyr after he died for his Christian faith. It is believed that during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century, St George was punished by execution, for refusing to make a sacrifice in honour of the pagan gods at that time.

4. HE NEVER VISITED ENGLAND!

Yep, St George never actually visited England. However his reputation for virtue and holiness spread across Europe and his feast day – the 23rd April – was celebrated in England from the 9th century onwards.

He became popular with English kings. Edward I (1272-1307) had banners bearing the emblem of St George (a red cross on a white background) and Edward III (1327-77) had a strong interest in the saint and owned a ‘phial’ or ‘relic’ of his blood. It was not until the reign of Henry VIII, that the cross of St George was used to represent England.

5. THE DRAGON WAS ADDED LATER

The story goes that St George rode into Silene (Libya) to free the city from a dragon who had a taste for humans, but it’s a story that post-dates the real George by several centuries!

Images of George and the dragon survive from the 9th century – 500 years after his death. Originally these may simply have been symbolising the battle between Good and Evil. In the Middle Ages, the story was developed and popularised in a compendium of stories about saints’ lives called ‘The Golden Legend’.

6. ST GEORGE WAS A SAINT FOR 1000 YEARS BEFORE THE ‘HOLIDAY’

St George was canonised in AD 494 by Pope Gelasius, who claimed he was one of those ‘whose names are justly revered among men but whose acts are known only to God’.

A feast day of St George has been celebrated in England for hundreds of years on 23 April, which was possibly the date of his martyrdom. Following the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, St George’s Day became one of the most important feast days in the English calendar.

7. ENGLAND ISN’T THE ONLY COUNTRY TO CELEBRATE ST GEORGE

St George is truly an international saint and England is not the only country or region to claim him as its patron. Something that in todays multi-cultural England, ought to be celebrated!

England shares St George with Venice, Genoa, Portugal, Ethiopia and Catalonia among others as their patron saint and many of these places have their own celebrations and ceremonies in his honour.

8. PEOPLE TURNED TO ST GEORGE FOR PROTECTION

During the Middle Ages, people believed that St George was one of the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’ – a group of saints who could help during epidemic diseases. St George’s protection was invoked against several nasty diseases, many fatal and with infectious causes, including the Plague and leprosy. It is a shame we cannot invoke his name to defeat the Coronavirus!

From around 1100, St George’s help was also sought to protect the English army. In William Shakespeare’s Henry V, the monarch calls on the saint during his battle cry at the Battle of Harfleur in the famous, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends” speech, crying “God for Harry! England, and St. George!”

Five hundred years later – during the First World War – a ghostly apparition of St George is said to have aided British troops during their retreat from Mons, and the naval commander of the Zeebrugge Raid, cited the saint as inspiration!

9. ST GEORGE REPRESENTS THOSE WE HONOUR

The Order of the Garter (founded by Edward III in 1348) is the very highest order of chivalry in the country, with Queen Elizabeth II at the helm as ‘Sovereign of the Garter’.

To this day, St George’s cross still appears on the Garter badge and his image is the pendant of the Garter chain.

In 1940 King George VI created a new award for acts of the greatest heroism, bravery or courage in the face of extreme danger. The George Cross, named after the king, bears the image of St George vanquishing the dragon. The image of St George also adorns many of the memorials built to honour those killed during World War One.

Poignantly, perhaps in 2020, we should use this legendary award for bravery to honour the frontline workers and NHS staff working so valiantly to help those affected by the Coronavirus and COVID-19.

Top 5 Skype Interview Tips for candidates from Astute Recruitment Ltd

With more and more workplaces cancelling meetings and face to face interviews, companies are increasingly turning to Skype and other media to play an increasing part in the recruitment process.

Here at Astute, we thought this would be more crucial than ever. An online interview can either be audio or visual but most employers prefer Skype, where a potential candidate can be interviewed ‘remotely’. As with any interview in person, there are do’s and don’ts that every candidate should know.

Below are 5 Skype interview tips to help you nail that job: –

1.Dress the part: You might not meet your potential employer physically in person, face to face, but you will still need to dress professionally. Your interviewer can still see you and of course, you can see them! Make sure you have a chosen outfit ready for you to wear the night before.

2. Don’t be late! Be ready an hour earlier so that you can prepare in advance. As with any interview you need to ensure you have allowed plenty of time to become calm. Make sure all radios, TVs and mobile phones are set to silent at least 15 minutes before your interview begins so there is no distracting background noise.

3. Ensure your network is working! Make sure your computer and network are functioning well. Test your microphone and camera beforehand to prevent glitches. The last thing you want is to just log in to Skype and find that you can see your interviewer but cannot hear them or vice versa!

4. Setup your environment and surroundings to look professional. Create a clean, tidy background that represents your organisational skills. Sounds obvious, but make sure that the view of your area behind you which your ‘interviewer/ interviewers’ can see looks ordered, clean and clear.

5. Focus on the camera. Tricky one this – as the natural tendency is to look someone in the eye, whether on screen or face to face. On camera, on an online interview, this means you having to look straight into the camera as a way of keeping eye contact with your interviewer and NOT looking the person you are talking to directly in the eye on the screen. Our advice? Practice, practice, and practice again. You can ask a friend to be on the other end of the camera as a practice Skype interview exercise, allowing you to practice this in real-time. Even better, get your friend to ask you proper interview questions.

Your CV Profile –

Increasingly for candidates, anything that can flag a CV to a potential employer is great.

But what to include? What to specifically cite? How to keep things concise but genuinely show you have made a difference and why you stand out?

Below is part of the profile for an experienced Finance Director who Astute Recruitment has worked with for a number of years.

Experienced SME Finance Director with a proven track record of success, supporting strategic objectives with financial acumen and operational pragmatism.
Facilitated ‘fundraise’ with PE – pre and post-acquisition
Pro-active manager and influencer, empowering staff to take ownership
Providing coaching, training and mentoring to build cohesive teams and business partnering senior management.
Proven experience working alongside MDs and Senior management teams driving businesses forward
Focussed on achieving individual targets and company objectives and offering excellent relationship management skills.
Experienced in financial and corporate management to ensure the achievement of commercial goals within budget.
Extensive SME experience and management of external relationships with banks, insurers, suppliers and investors.

“Driving business projects to deliver business strategy”.

This is someone who one of our Directors has personally known for a while and who has sat on both sides of the client/ candidate fence. Their words and the way they succinctly covered their key attributes was great and we wanted to share this.

The candidate identifies specific, key deliverables and specific, defined savings they have made to the business and specific ways they have delivered success in their previous roles. They did this citing in percentage terms, the differences to the profit and balance sheet of their company. Where they had saved time – they cited the exact amount of time. They were clear that they had taken ownership of the improvements cited.

Another key part of this is to ensure that all the Job Boards you are registered with and your LinkedIn profile also all reflect accurately the most up to date version of your CV. Often we discover a candidate’s online profile varies to the latest CV they forward to us. Consistency in all things applies – especially in terms of your own candidate CV, personal profile and branding online.

For obvious reasons – we cannot state the identity of this eloquent person, as they are still in a permanent role!

Nor can we cite specific deliverables or critical success factors for confidentiality, but if you are reading this and your business needs someone like this – let our Qualified Team know and we will gladly facilitate an introduction!

We hope the above provides some inspiration for those struggling to write up / update their own profiles/ CVs.

Astute’s Team!

Richard Bowe – Senior Consultant Interim Qualified Accountancy

Tom Norton – Senior Consultant Permanent Qualified

Andy Lilliman – Recruitment Business Development Manager

Sarah-Louise Wykes – Manager, Interim Transactional Finance Staff, Part-Qualified to Qualified Accountants

Charlotte Sproat – Permanent Transactional Finance Staff, Part-Qualified to Qualified Accountants (Derby, South Derbyshire, North Leicestershire, Staffordshire, South Notts)

Debbie Jackson – Permanent Transactional Finance Staff, Part-Qualified to Qualified Accountants (Derby, North Derbyshire, North Nottinghamshire)

Astute Recruitment’s Top CV Tips To Make YOUR CV Stand Out

Here are some of the latest top tips and suggestions to help ensure your CV is destined to help steer you to the job of your dreams.

1/ Highlight your affinity with technology.

Nearly all jobs now require some interface with IT, especially jobs in accountancy, where there are myriad CRMs, ERPs and other systems which need to have their data migrated to Excel to produce the best financial reporting and analysis. One of the Big 4 firms recently stated that nearly 80% of CEO’s regard abilities around AI to be THE number one asset of a business.

2/ Showcase your SOFT SKILLS. Nearly 60% of senior leaders state soft skills as being more important than ‘hard skills’.

Examples of soft skills: –

Ability to adapt i.e. How can you embrace change?
- Think of examples where you have successfully adapted to change and include these on your CV.

Your ability to be creative in thought & deed.
- AI is only as good as the programming it has been given. It cannot ‘think ahead’. People can. The ideas of tomorrow are what the bosses of today need from their teams and employees. Highlight how you are an ‘ideas’ person and how your creativity has: –

“made positive changes in your work/ or for your team/ or in your business to the company’s performance”

Talking for Success – Ability to communicate;
- Employers now need employees who can collaborate better, build stronger relationships, motivate more effectively to ultimately drive increased productivity and performance. SO, in your CV you need to showcase your verbal dexterity across negotiation, collaboration, and presentation. Just don’t forget to listen!
- Don’t forget to include your latest Skills Learned! In your second job, you may have mastered world-class skills in the IT package of the day, but the employee of tomorrow needs their CV to show an affinity with the current and emerging technologies and software. Always showcase new skills learned over the last couple of years or even in the last few months! These new skills may be the very ones that make you stand out from the crowd and secure an interview.!

So, now you have an idea of the content for your CV – you now need to hotwire it with the ‘keywords’ that many search firms program their algorithms to pick out. Yep – your CV won’t be picked out by a human being – more likely, if you are applying to one of the larger, national and international recruitment agencies – your CV will need to stand out in a sea of applicants screened by non-human eyes.

Increasingly, even smaller search and recruitment agencies are turning to algorithms to ‘sift’ through CVs. However, at Astute Recruitment, we offer the human touch and always will, to pick up the nuances of individuals. But this point in general about larger recruitment agencies is key.

How can you ‘proof’ your CV and application to overcome these algorithms?

1/ Keywords all the way!

Not just any keywords, but the ones that are specific for the targeted jobs that you are applying for. So, if you are an accountant, make sure you include keywords relevant. So for example, if you are looking for a role as a financial accountant – keywords like Balance Sheet, Consolidations, Audit, Group Accounts may well be worth you including in your skillset! Equally, if you are a Management Accountant, keywords including Variance Analysis, Profit & Loss, Cost Centres, Cost of Sales, Gross Margin Reporting, Stakeholder Engagement may be wise to include!

2/ Softskills

Again think about the soft skills that your potential boss will be looking for… “Communication” “within budget and “deadlines”. Now for the big tip. Most people include the former – but don’t qualify what they mean. i.e. “OK – you completed X, Y, Z but how much did you bring this in less than budget?” or “How much faster did you achieve your project than the original deadline? 10% faster? 30% faster?” Define your achievements with definite numbers and percentages. Make your achievements quantifiable. Show how they are continuous and year on year rather than just something achieved several years ago in a role since which you have received several promotions.

3/ Check your profile is good on social media. (Hint: This doesn’t mean having a great photo of you at the trendiest wine bar on Instagram (unless you are going for a bar job! 😊)

Instead – LinkedIn is now one of THE main online spaces for any professional employee to showcase their skills. Use the summary field, for short, succinct snippets to showcase your key attributes in work. And to do this – again use our new friends, ‘keywords’. Keep job titles straightforward. In-house recruitment specialists, HR professionals, and recruitment agencies and search firms will conduct ‘keyword’ searches on LinkedIn to identify as narrow a shortlist with the most relevant profiles for their roles. You need to try and make sure your profile is the one that appears in their searches. Avoid glitzy, busy icons, anything too ‘random’ and ‘out there’.

Yes, you want to come across as someone with ideas and creativity of thought, but you need to also come across as someone who can fit into the professional, flexible, 21st century working world.

For personal, one on one advice about your CV, or anything to help you take the next step in your career, contact our team for

confidential and tailored advice on 01332 346 100

or by email to Mary Maguire

The social media and pressures in general forced upon someone who was actually very fragile, resulted in tragedy for Caroline, her friends, and family.

Her death also served to highlight as a warning for all of us that whilst dates in the year like Valentines Day have typically become a day of ‘lurve’, joy and celebration, there are a whole lot of people for whom these dates float around bringing them dread.

Relationships can and do break up.

Many people, find occasions like the 14th of February hard to deal with as they are single, having relationship difficulties or just ‘in-between’ relationships.

Some will be very happy in their own company too.

Mary writes in her piece that

“Whilst happily married, I’ve known times before I met ‘the one’ where I delighted in my own company, and times I felt genuinely lonely, feeling a bit out of the loop if Valentines Day coincided with one of those periods.

My point? It’s easy to feel that you should comply with the herd. In this case, the schmaltz churned out by any kind of media or peer pressure.

So, whatever your relationship status, celebrate the fact that you, yourself, are great! Allow yourself to feel happy whether you are single, married, or other. Most of all, be mindful that today and every day, there may be work colleagues, friends and family who may be finding it tough and who would appreciate some love of the friendship and empathy kind.“

This is such a huge topic and one that employers everywhere and anyone with work colleagues need to be mindful of. Not everyone may be in the ‘happy’ place you are in, but a friendly smile, gentle touch and warm words of encouragement can go a long way in helping someone step away from dark thoughts.

To see other posts and articles by Mary, you can view her LinkedIn and Follow Mary on https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-maguire-55307318/

You can follow our company LinkedIn page by clicking HERE and just selecting “FOLLOW”

Jennifer Fitzgerald and Rose Heppell in our team, have dedicated spare evenings helping a great local charity called Doorways distributing food, hot drinks and packed lunches to the vulnerable and homeless in Derby. You can read their heartfelt blog HERE which they wrote themselves.

Help Astute Recruitment Ltd Help Doorways make everybody feel like a somebody

Our Directors, Sarah and Mary, have decided to support Doorways as our dedicated charity this winter and the team are spearheading a campaign for local businesses, employees and employers across Derby to donate pre-loved warm clothing, food, drinks, sleeping bags and more for this amazing charity.

If you would like to help, please contact our team on 01332 346 100 or feel free to contact Jennifer or Rose by email to: –

[email protected]

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Mike

16:04 13 Mar 23

Highly recommended! Josh and Sarah have been fantastic at Astute. They've found and placed me in 2 jobs now between them, both really responsive and excellent at keeping you up to speed with things. Very knowledgable about the roles and happy to talk to companies with any queries you have.

C R.

10:45 27 Jan 23

Great agency one of the best ones I've worked with! Liz has been a great help and support in helping me towards a new direction in my career life. She is very attentive and keeps me in the loop at all times! She makes the extra effort to work with my preferred requirements for work and even if it isn't completely attainable she meets me in the middle and does as much as she can to help! Also Liz is very funny might I add 😂 and I'm happy that I can now put a face to the name after all these years! Thank you again Liz for all your help and support! 😊

Christine

10:32 20 Dec 22

Josh and the Astute team was very swift to help me to find roles that matched my profile. They are really reliable and will help through every step of the recruitment process going out of their way to assist and follow up when needed. Could not find a better recruitment agency!

Helen Pinegar

16:19 18 Dec 22

Fantastic recruitment agency.. Josh was extremely enthusiastic, encouraging and clearly knowledgeable about what was needed from both the employee and the employers point of view. Extremely supportive especially in regards to interview preparation and endeavoured to procure feedback promptly. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Astute in the future to both candidates and recruiting businesses particularly for the right fit for the role!!!

Lisa Leigh

11:56 30 Nov 22

I have worked as a candidate for Astute and they have been excellent. Super friendly service and professional agents keen to fit the right person to the right job. It has been a pleasure dealing with them and I would happily work for them again in the future. Highly recommend this agency.