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Employer Speed Dating at Growing Talent 22!

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Monday 10 June saw the 22nd speed dating event with employers at Etc Venues in Eastcheap.  Employers present looking for new talent to grow into their roles included Park Plaza Hotel – Westminster, Club Quarters Hotel – Trafalgar Square, ISS at More London, Firmdale Hotels, Red Personnel, Pertemps and Ballymore who pulled out just before the start due to sickness.

 

Over 20 people were selected by employers to go forward to the second stage.  Helping Firmdale Hotels with their selection was Heavenly – who was on Growing Talent 21! Heavenly is below with Firmdale’s Recruitment Manager, and longtime supporter of Growing Talent – Dan.

 

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Helping Red Personnel from Growing Talent 20 was Abe pictured below with Jamie….

Red Jamie and Abe

Helping with logistic on the day featured below were l-r were Jacquie and Anna – leads for Growing Talent at JobCentre Plus, Sam a new manager from JCP and Shennell wo was on Growing Talent 6 and always returns to support and encourage others when she can.

 

Shennel and JCP

Following second stage employer selection, we welcomed 10 new Growing Talent Associates:

 

Brandon & Sheldon – joining Pertemps

James – joining Red Personnel

Miyuki, Stephan, Jordan & Stephen – joining ISS

Calum and Romain joining Park Plaza Hotel at Westminster

Michael – joined Churchill Services – a late comer

 

Check out the Orientation Week to see how they got on!  Thanks to everyone involved for making it a great event!

When you think it’s going horribly wrong……

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At the start of Growing Talent 22 I was really concerned about the few applicants referred from JobCentre Plus.  Would it be worth running the programme? where the media reports of over 2 million workless households in the UK all outside of London?  It costs so much to run each programme – currently c£3,200 per head for a group of 10 – was it cost effective to keep running it?

 

Luckily the funders have always said ‘yes – even if one person gets a job, it’s the right thing to do’.

 

After a slow start, the applications started flowing in.  Over 55 from South London District alone and a few more from North London.  Sadly West and East districts did not refer anyone.  Shame as there is a permanent job at the start of the Growing Talent Journey for all selected by employers to take part.

 

So a full week of 1-2-1 compatibility meetings are scheduled this week.  If yesterday’s schedule is anything to go by, there is so much eager talent ready for development by an employer.

 

Check back to see who gets selected at our Employer Speed Dating event on 10 June where employers including Ballymore, ISS, Firmdale, Club Quarters, Park Plaza Hotel, Pertemps & Red Personnel will be looking for their new talent.

As an employer – how do you know you’ve found ‘the one’?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

It’s difficult and time consuming trying to identify the right talent for your business before hiring, not just from a skillset point of view but also personal outlook, fit with the team and company ethos as well as future potential, before hiring them.

 

At the point of hire in traditional recruitment, a lot of time and money has been spent on composing the vacancy, advertising it, potentially engaging recruitment agencies, a contract has been drawn-up, payroll has been set-up – all without knowing if the individual is a good fit in all areas and has the potential to grow.

 

If there is a ‘miss-match’ there is not only a cost implication but also a decrease in team moral.

 

Surely a ‘try before you buy’ works for both sides.  Enter Growing Talent!  Now I know what some employers may think who have not been involved in anything like this before…”the unemployed never work out”, “there is no commitment from the unemployed – they’re used to not working”.

 

As the saying goes – the proof is in the pudding – as many naysayers have found.

 

Alex, on the current programme with Portico, recently had his first appraisal.  After just a few short weeks on site, he’s exceeded expectations in all areas.  Outstanding feedback from the team is a natural self esteem booster.  Alex is looking forward to the remaining training ahead.  Already, he’s been identified as a perfect addition to the team – something the employer would not have secured without Growing Talent.

 

Why aren’t all employers recruiting through Growing Talent?  I’d love to know…

 

 

http://www.growing-talent.co.uk

Stairway to opportunity?

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Yesterday I finally got to see the impressive restoration at The Principal Hotel, London.  As a listed building with multiple original vintage features the launch date was put back a number of times.

 

I’d met Charlie & Amy from the HR team almost a year ago.  They came along to the Growing Talent Graduation 2017 and Amy attended one of our employer speed dating events to see if they could recruit through Growing Talent. Yesterday, Charlie confirmed they were indeed ready to join us on Growing Talent 18 which commences at the end of July.

 

Some of the stunning interiors any selected Growing Talent Associates will have the opportunity to work in….

 

The opulent lighting really fits the atmosphere at the hotel…..

 

Take a look at the ‘Hollywood’ showers…

 

 

How intricate is this mosaic outside the Palm Court afternoon tea area?

 

 

Who doesn’t love a four poster???

 

 

Great area for a nice soak after a long day….

 

 

Overlooking Russell Square itself, despite being in the heart of London with all the bustle, you literally feel a world away inside the hotel.  A great opportunity for the right Growing Talent Associates…..

London Chamber of Commerce – what to expect?

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After four years of running my business delivering Growing Talent and Mental Health/Wellbeing programmes, I felt the time was right to increase my business awareness, network with like-minded organisations and ultimately grow Growing Talent to get even more people into work from diverse backgrounds.

 

Quite a big membership fee for a ‘one man band’ organisation but the events and knowledge LCC showcase they deliver on their website should make this cost-effective.

 

I guess you only get out what you put in!

 

My first networking event is on 6 June 2018 so not long to wait to see if the proof is in the pudding or not!

 

If there are any fellow members out there – I’d appreciate your top tips!

 

Update – 8.6.18 – for the first half hour I wondered what I was doing there!  There was no staff to direct, no kind of instruction manual – although I now understand there is an introduction session for new members which kicks in a couple of weeks joining!  So we were all in a large room with team/coffee etc and left to our own devices with colour coded badges – although not everyone had been given the key to the colour coding.  Equally, I was wrongly coded as a PR company! How many others were wrongly coded as well?  A couple of people I spoke with told me they were not renewing, others said they had grown strong client relationships.  I guess more than one event is needed to form a true opinion!

 

 

True Grit!

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What an amazing story, what an amazing, positive  role model.

 

Describing herself as ‘a girl who liked to run…’ she was the first female to enter the Boston Marathon in 1967.  Even though she was registered, you can clearly see an official trying to force her off in the feature photo.

 

Her determination paid off.  She completed that marathon and may others since including taking part in the London Marathon 2018 held on 22 April prodding wearing her 261 badge number.  At 71 she glows health and vitality.

 

Although not a household name outside the world of running, she surely should be.  With a clear goal of what she wanted to achieve for herself in being allowed to run, she opened the barriers for others to follow.

 

Isn’t this a great lesson for us all?  Determination, patience, true grit will deliver the results you want and change hearts and minds along the way.

 

We are only bound my our own mind’s limitations…….  Ignore these perceptions, and anything is possible and achievable.