225+
5 reviews
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.
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Why good interview feedback really matters. Interview tips from Astute Recruitment

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

 

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

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].

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].

 

Have you heard about our triple-point guarantee. Article featured in AGENDA magazine's Autumn Edition 2018
Have you heard about our Triple-Point Guarantee? Article featured in AGENDA magazine’s Autumn Edition 2018

Astute Recruitment in Queen Street is re-inventing the way recruiters are seen with a unique ‘Triple Point Guarantee’, which offers clients £500 in cash should their vacancy not be filled in time.

 

The service is being offered to companies with a permanent role available which choose Astute as their sole recruiter for an agreed time period and is the first policy of its kind to be offered by a recruiter anywhere in the UK.

 

Mary Maguire, MD of Astute Recruitment said: “We really want to set ourselves apart from our competitors and demonstrate our commitment to offering value and high standards of service.”

 

“We work across the East Midlands with a great number of SME’s locally, so anything we can do to support our clients and make a real difference to their business, we will embrace and the Triple Point Guarantee is exactly that.”

 

“As well as the £500 payment, we also offer free replacements and pro-rata fee rebates if a candidate leaves the role in the first eight weeks of placement.”

 

“We pride ourselves on being able to place the right people in the right roles – this policy demonstrates how confident we are in this and gives clients peace of mind.”

 

Astute has worked to secure more than 1500 jobs for local businesses and is continuing to go from strength to strength, hiring three new consultants in the last six months and launching a highly successful commercial division.