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Media Relations in Action

The company

Twenty Recruitment was formed in January 2009, in the depths of the recession, by Paul Marsden and Adrian Kinnersley who were responsible for the rapid growth and sale of Astbury Marsden. The company specialises in mid to senior level appointments within the professional services, financial services and commerce & industry sectors across technology, finance and IT.

 

The challenge

While the company had recruited a number of senior consultants who were real experts in their field, in early 2009 [...]

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This week, David Rowat was fired from his job at Argos for taking to Facebook to have a moan about a bad day at work.

Now, we don’t need to tell you that it’s inadvisable to badmouth your employer on social networks. It’s about as subtle as writing “I hate my job” on your forehead and even if it doesn’t get you in trouble, it certainly won’t single you out as an ideal candidate for promotion.

Under normal circumstances I would argue [...]

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Horrible Bosses

August 24, 2011 by

While recently watching the summer blockbuster Horrible Bosses, I began to wonder why I, and the cinema full of people, found the tales of bullying, sexual discrimination and law breaking in the workplace so hilarious. The story of three friends seeking revenge on slave-driving, egotistical bosses who regularly manipulate, humiliate and undermine them provides some very funny dark comic moments. However I soon realised that the audience were able to identify closely with the protagonists, leaving them thankful for the [...]

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Connectiquette

July 1, 2011 by

Having just heard the new phrase ‘Connectiquette’ I decided to look into the etiquette of managing connections online.

Technology has brought us all closer together.  Social networks have provided platforms making it easy to connect with long-lost friends and family, new friends, business colleagues and other people who have similar interests, aspirations and goals. They have also become crucial in job search and career management.   

However good etiquette is still essential. Its infuriating when you get inundated with asks and requests [...]

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I have read many articles and blog postings about the candidate experience – hell I even wrote one myself bemoaning the bad service candidates get in terms of engagement and feedback.

However, as someone who has been involved in recruiting for our own organisation over the past few weeks, I have been quite literally gobsmacked at the poor level of effort, courtesy and basic communication skills displayed by applicants.  We hear lots of stuff about how we need to really engage [...]

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When well-known Gallic philosopher/writer, Jean-Paul Sartre, came up with the phrase, “Hell is other people” , he very likely wasn’t commenting on the problems of talent planning in an SME. Far too busy quaffing red wine, smoking Gauloises and womanising was good old Jean-Paul. But the famous phrase does strike a bit of a chord in sunny Hertfordshire. Here we are in a rapidly growing PR company doing some really good work with great clients, both in the UK and [...]

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Ok – I know a lot of people will be throwing their hands up in horror but are we trying to put too many people through university?

I recently attended my son’s GCSE options evening and learned about the new English Baccalaureate.  Students who receive an A* to C grade in English, Maths, at least two sciences, a foreign language and either history or geography will automatically be awarded the English Bacc. And why? Well no matter what the official line is, [...]

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Further to our recent post Working in PR for Grown Ups, we had lots of response from some great freelance journalists – the problem was they wanted to stay as freelance journalists and what we need is someone who can not only write – and write well –  but who can also account manage.

We’ve had a lot of new business wins recently – and have a raft of potential client meetings stretching into the autumn.  Clients we [...]

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I recently spent the day with Twenty Recruitment at a vision and values day they were holding for their most recent hires.  I have to say it was really refreshing to see a recruitment firm not just talking the talk and paying lip service to the notion of values – but really living them. The firm has three values Life’s Short; Be Eclectic and Crystal Clear. Through the facilitator Rafe Offer, a marketing and branding expert, the new consultants [...]

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I recently came across an article in the Times titled ‘Too much overtime is bad for your health’. According to the article, studies suggest that those who regularly work a nine or ten hour day are more likely to suffer from heart-related illness – well surely that’s pretty much all of us?!

We’ve all been sitting at our desks well into the evening trying to finish bits and pieces and plenty of people work well over seven hours every day whether [...]

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