Career Advice

Our Apprentice of the Year Chats About Routes to Employment

As it’s National Apprenticeship Week we thought it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with our Apprentice of the Year, account apprentice Jodie Groom, who works at Morson’s sister company Morson Projects. She talks about why accounting apprenticeships are a great route into employment, no matter what age you are. What attracted you to Morson Projects/accounts? I was initially attracted to Morson by the strong reputation of the company. It is a friendly environment, supports charities and accommodates the needs of its staff. I was then attracted to joining the accounts team as my sister is an accountant, so I learnt a few things from her prior to starting at Morson. This inspired me to start my journey and accounting career by achieving each level of education whilst working in an accounting environment. Why did you choose an apprenticeship? I chose an apprenticeship because you can learn your trade academically but then you are able to put the skills you learn into practice in a working environment and expand on the knowledge you learn at college. As I am 18 years old, it helps that I get a wage as well as working and learning. If I just attended a college full time I would then have to get a part-time job alongside which may be too much and hinder my learning process. What has your experience of an apprenticeship been? I have enjoyed my experience so far as being an apprentice as I have worked in a team of accounts which has helped me expand on my skills and knowledge that I have learnt at college on evenings and weekends. I am enjoying my studies at Kaplan Finance in Manchester as the tutors are keen and willing to help as much as possible to ensure their students pass. Tell us a bit about what you have learnt so far… Considering I have only been studying for 7 months I feel I have learnt a fair amount about the basics. I am currently studying my AAT Level 2 in accounting and Finance. I have covered topics such as: Bookkeeping Transactions Bookkeeping Controls Elements of Costing Sage One Accounting System I am awaiting a few results back then I can complete my synoptic unit and sit my final exam to complete my Level 2 and move onto completing my Level 3 AAT Course. Would you recommend accounting apprenticeships to others? Yes, I would definitely recommend accounting apprenticeships to anyone who is intrigued to learn something new, no matter what age you are. You can get a full education as well as putting it into practice on the job, in a working environment. Morson are champions of apprenticeships, we believe they are a fantastic way to both get young people into employment and help professionals transition into new careers. Read more about our pledge to maintain a minimum of 5% of our workforce enrolled in apprenticeship schemes across our business. Want to find out more about the apprenticeships Morson offer? Email our Head of HR becki.ross@morson.com
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5 top tips to make your CV stand out

Your CV is one of the most important tickets to opening doors in your job search. In an increasingly competitive market, using a variety of attention-grabbing tactics can increase the chance of your CV being noticed and your application being progressed to the next stage. It is believed that on average, it takes a recruiter just 30 seconds to scan your CV and form an opinion. Utilise the following CV tips to ensure you stand out from the crowd: Tailor your CV It’s important to alter your CV in line with the role that you’re applying for, using the job description and company information as a guide. This enables you to respond directly to the job description and explain exactly why you are the right candidate for the role. To find out more about tailoring your CV, click here. Include industry-specific keywords It’s a good idea to check the job description and company website for specific key words and phrases the employer may be looking for. Many companies are now using screening software to perform the first review of applications and check CVs. Including relevant keywords will help ensure that your application passes this first stage. Show your impact with facts and figures Many job seekers make bold claims in their CVs, but very few back them up with facts and figures. Demonstrating the scale of your responsibilities by including figures such as the size of budget you have managed or the cost-saving you achieved for your previous company will make sure you stand out from the crowd. Use bullet points to break up text To ensure that your CV is easy to read, use bullet points to break up the text. The first look at your CV will usually involve a skim-read of the main points, as recruiters are often pushed for time. Providing an enjoyable reading experience will grasp the recruiters attention and create a perfect first impression. Summarise your skills Including a ‘key skills’ section to your CV is another great way to show that you’re qualified for the job you are applying for. It’s useful to have it near the top of your CV, to show off your most relevant industry experience immediately. These quick and easy tweaks will improve the quality of your CV, differentiating you from your competition, and ultimately, improve your chances of securing the role you’re applying for. Now all that is left to do is to browse Morson’s fantastic job opportunities and register your CV to begin your search today.
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The best apps and tools to help you organise your job search

Searching for a new role can be a tough task and staying organised through the applications, interviews and paperwork is imperative to ensure you secure the right role for you. Whether you are looking to boost your job search or improve your productivity, read on for the best apps and tools to help you organise your job search. 1. JobTrack JobTrack helps you manage your applications effectively so that you can prioritise the right jobs for you. Using the dashboard, you can quickly see where to focus your efforts based on the job applications you’ve submitted and the job postings you’ve saved. It also enables you to proactively follow up by reminding you to send crucial follow-up emails after important events, such as phone calls and interviews. Perhaps the most unique feature of the website is that it gives you the ability to check on how your job search is going with helpful metrics. JobTrack provides you with visibility into what’s working well and what opportunities exist for improvement. An all-round great tool to organise your job search. 2. Evernote Evernote is a great tool to use, not only during your job search but all of the time! In simple terms, it is an app that assists with note taking, organising, task lists and archiving. It enables you to write notes and capture ideas at the touch of a button, on your computer, phone or on the web. In terms of your job search, it’s a great tool to use to complete your interview preparation and to store any important information relating to your application. The handy ‘clip page’ feature enables you to highlight text from a website and save to a document, this is especially useful when conducting company research before an interview. The possibilities are endless! 3. Glassdoor Glassdoor is a website where employees and former employees anonymously review companies, their management, their job role and their salary. When applying for a new role, it’s a good idea to have a quick look at the reviews on Glassdoor. Although you shouldn’t take this information as gospel, together with your discussions with the recruiter and/or manager, you should get a good idea if the company is right for you. 4. Huntr Huntr is an online platform that allows you to create colour coded lists of job applications including notes, dates, tasks, job descriptions, salaries, locations, company data and more. You can also use the Chrome Extension to save jobs from job sites such as Morson.com and pin to your dashboard to view them at any time. Another useful feature of Huntr is that you can quickly share your progress with your colleagues, friends or advisors simply by adding their email address to your lists. Now you’re organised, it’s time to start applying! Read our top tips on how to make your CV stand out from the crowd and register your CV to browse the latest opportunities in your field.
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Hinkley Skills Survey | What Opportunities Are Out There For Me?

Building Britain’s Future | The Hinkley Skills Survey Part 5 – Contracts With Clout, Hinkley Jobs Our whitepaper has already revealed how candidates are hungry for new opportunities across the country that offer the best rates of pay, lifestyle benefits and career opportunities. Another major attraction is projects with clout that provide prestige for your work portfolio. Of those surveyed, three quarters (75%) were eager to hear about Hinkley jobs. As the biggest project of its kind in Europe, the £18billion nuclear power station will demand skilled workers on a scale that hasn’t been seen in the UK for more than 25 years – since Sizewell-B, the last nuclear power plant was built. And inevitably, many of those workers have now retired or moved overseas. Hinkley Point C will need around 25,000 construction staff from specialist demolition experts to steel erectors, tunnellers, carpenters and glaziers, and it’s vital that these skilled people are in place to ensure successful delivery. Talent on demand is a popular choice, with the UK being home to a fast-growing army of independent flexible workers. Highly skilled, self-employed professionals can work on several projects for different employers in a single year or see themselves contracted long-term to deliver a major project. What’s clear is that the flexible working bug is spreading and the flexible workforce is now a significant driver in the UK’s current and potential economic growth. Want to know more? The full Morson Hinkley Skills Survey explores the importance of flexible workers in infrastructure. Based on the opinions of more than 2,500 independent flexible workers from across the UK, the Hinkley Point C Skills Survey provides a real insight into how to tackle the skills gap, why contracting is an increasingly popular working choice, how to encourage more diversity in engineering and what holds a flexible worker back from spreading their wings and seeking new opportunities in different sectors. In particular, this whitepaper draws attention to what factors attract flexible workers to a role and if they would consider relocating for work. This is especially pertinent with many major infrastructure projects, which require specific levels of locally-sourced skills. Click here to download your copy
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Making a Bold Career Change | How One Woman Swapped Languages For Nuclear Reactors

Making a bold career change can seem daunting, but Kim Vignitchouk is part of a growing trend of people who are turning their back on established careers in order to pursue a lifelong passion within a completely new industry. More than 10 years ago Kim made the move from linguistics and translation into the nuclear renaissance. Having lived and worked in China from 1988 – 1997 and fluent in Mandarin, it was time to pursue a career change and explore her real interest and passion, science, to which Kim then began studying a Physics degree at the Open University. Kim explains: “I always dreamed of one day becoming a scientist and I loved Physics at school. Unfortunately it was a career path that my parents weren’t keen on and they pushed me in the opposite direction. “After a successful career in linguistics and translation, I just thought enough was enough. Enrolling with the Open University helped me to connect back with everything that I loved when I was younger. I never dreamed at that point that I’d be able to build a new career and instead, was gaining a Physics degree just for me.” Now a contractor for Horizon Nuclear Power, Kim is part of a team in the UK and Japan helping to drive forward the new £10bn power station, comprising two nuclear reactors, at Wylfa Newydd in Anglesey. Adjacent to the former Magnox Wylfa Power Station, which is currently being decommissioned, the new nuclear power station will employ around 9,000 people at the peak of construction and once complete, generate around 2,700 megawatts of electricity – enough to power around five million homes. Having further upskilled her nuclear knowledge with a masters in Radiation and Environmental Protection, Kim is now working as an RP (radiation protection) engineer, where a typical day includes researching, reviewing and writing technical documents, answering technical queries and liaising with other engineers and contractors across civil, mechanical and chemical specialisms. Kim explains: “It’s our job to make sure that the nuclear power plant is being designed and built to UK and international standards so that it’s fully compliant and safe for people and the environment. “Nuclear is such an exciting and rewarding sector to work in, but there’s still a big misunderstanding in what a nuclear power plant actually does. The link between civil and military nuclear programmes also should be better managed as many people wrongly think they are one and the same. “There always seem to be a negative portrayal of nuclear power plants from the media as well, which leads to a negative public perception. Instead, we should be more transparent in showcasing what exciting careers the nuclear industry has to offer.” Kim has never struggled to find a role, even after previously being made redundant. Within the nuclear industry, there is no lack of exciting opportunities. New build programmes deliver a spectrum of roles across engineering, chemistry, environment and physics, which are also highly relevant for the decommissioning and maintenance of nuclear sites. Kim’s specific skillset in radiation and environmental protection is in huge demand across a number of sectors and careers, including medical, radiography and isotope generation for cancer care, which meant that she had already received a job offer before completing her masters. Kim continues: “Gaining my degree and masters were both career highlights as it completely changed my career direction and led me to where I am today. “I’m a firm believer in that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Juggling a freelance interpreter career with my studies at the Open University wasn’t without its challenges and even at this time, my parents were still asking me when was I going to concentrate on a full-time job? Unfortunately they both passed away before I graduated, but they would have been so proud in where I am today. “My advice to anyone regardless of their age or gender is to pursue your passion, do what you want to do and don’t listen to anyone else. “Nuclear is a pretty hardcore industry but there are so many exciting pathways that can lead you to a very rewarding career, including apprenticeships and the university route. All you need to succeed is to work hard and be passionate about what you do.” Are you looking for a career change? Search hundreds of jobs here, or to learn more about adult apprenticeships with our training division visit www.morson.com/mvt.
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Our Ops Director Reveals the Top 5 Most In-Demand IT Jobs

Adrian Adair, gives us an insight into why it’s a great time to get into tech. Whether you’re new to the industry or looking to improve your skillset, here are five IT jobs that are in high demand from clients across the globe. We all rely on technology and IT networks every day of our lives. From the systems we use at work, to the way we spend our down time and the public services on which we rely, it’s hard to image a time when IT wasn’t so integral to how we live. What all that means for the employment market is demand for the skills required to maintain existing IT systems and develop new solutions continues to grow. The IT job market is extremely diverse as a consequence, creating opportunities for all candidates with an IT background. And, often, IT skills and experience are transferrable to emerging roles and technologies, creating opportunities for dynamic careers that embrace change and help to drive innovation. The question that many candidates ask is where the best IT opportunities lie. Some IT jobs may require further training or professional development so it pays to know how much potential they offer for career progression. Here’s our summary of the top five IT jobs currently in highest demand. Click on the job titles to search for available opportunities: .NET Developer With so many services now delivered online, the job of programming web-based applications is critical for many organisations. .NET developers are web programmers with a strong understanding of the .NET framework. They’re responsible for developing a variety of online programs, applications and interfaces. They may have experience in a variety of programming languages so there is lots of potential here for transferable skills. GDPR Data Security From May 2018, GDPR legislation will make it mandatory for all businesses and organisations to keep personal data securely and demonstrate the steps they have taken to do this. As many organisations don’t even know what personal data they have, where it is or how to track it, there is an urgent need for data security specialists that can help programme systems to comply with the legislation and keep data secure. Cyber Security Specialists Cybercrime has become a significant threat to companies, public sector organisations and individuals, with incidents rising year on year. The specialist skills needed to protect systems against malicious hacks and viruses are in high demand and this looks set to continue to be a growth area of the job market indefinitely. Data Scientists Recently referred to in Forbes as ‘the century’s hottest career’, the job of a data scientist is to analyse and interpret complex data, such as usage statistics from website traffic. These skills are playing an increasingly important role in a business strategy and resource planning, making the role of data scientist critical to a wide range of organisations. Network Architect Required to design, build and maintain a variety of data communication networks, from expansive cloud infrastructures to smaller intranets, network architects are needed for roles in a wide variety of organisations, including data processing specialists and companies that rely on data comms services. As we become increasingly dependent on cloud storage and cloud-based processing, network architects will remain in high demand. At Morson we do more than recruit technical engineers. With a huge presence in the IT market, working with some of the worlds biggest clients, we have over 100 IT jobs open, with opportunities spanning the globe. Find your opportunity here – search all IT jobs.
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What Is It Really Like To Be An Apprentice? | Our Apprentices Tell All

This National Apprenticeship Week, many students who are deciding between an apprenticeship or further education may be wondering ‘what is it like to be an apprentice’? We spoke to a selection of our apprentices at Morson Projects, each of whom are doing very different job roles from business and administration to engineering, to get their first hand experiences of an apprenticeship. It was revealing that each apprentices journey was so different, with one apprentice going onto a quantity surveying degree from her business administration apprenticeship. Hannah Worden, Business Administration Apprentice My name is Hannah Worden, I work for the commercial team at Morson Projects. I’ve been on a business administration apprenticeship. In September I also started a quantity surveying degree alongside my apprenticeship which will take me 5 years. I chose to do an apprenticeship as I knew I’d be able to work and earn while training. Morson Projects have supported me all the way, helping me progress within my career. I like the thought of doing learning more about the background of my current job role, which is why I’m doing the QS degree as that is what my role will be transitioning into. The best part of my job is the friendship and social side. I also feel extremely valued and I’ve been recognised higher up as I won Young Achiever of the Year in 2017. I’ve also been nominated by Salford City College for Apprentice of the Year, which is really nice. Lewis Stamper, Engineering Apprentice at Ematics My name is Lewis Stamper, I worked in the power department for the first part of my apprenticeship and then moved over to the Ematics department where I’ve been doing SCADA software engineering. The reason I chose an apprenticeship is that I like learning on the job rather than just looking at a text book, it means that I can apply my knowledge to real life. A standard day for me is, when I come in we have a 9am meeting where we share where we’re up to from the day before and organise what we’re going to do for the rest of the day. I’m involved with team coordination at the moment, making sure that we’re all on task and know what we need to get done for the day. Amy Brett, Business Administration Apprentice I’m Amy Brett and I work for the commercial team where I’ve been doing a Level 2 business admin apprenticeship, I’ll be going onto Level 3 this year. My work is payroll and general admin so on Monday and Tuesday I’m really busy. I help Hannah out with admin assistance and she helps me check through certain work. Lewis sends me his timesheets, which are never on time! I chose to do an apprenticeship with Morson Projects as it’s a family oriented business and I’d heard good things and since I came here I’ve been looked after and been welcomed. Before I came to Morson I used to go to attend Eccles College and they told me about the business. They suggested I went for an apprenticeship at Morson Projects because I didn’t enjoy going to college at the time. Sophie Williams, Hannah and Amy’s manager describes the working relationship between the apprentices: They work really well together, they are all willing to help each other. It’s really nice to see them get along inside and outside of work. Morson are champions of apprenticeships, we believe they are a fantastic way to both get young people into employment and help professionals transition into new careers. Read more about our pledge to maintain a minimum of 5% of our workforce enrolled in apprenticeship schemes across our business. Want to find out what is it like to be an apprentice first hand? To find out more about the apprenticeships Morson offer email our Head of HR becki.ross@morson.com
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Re-building Helicopters, Building Careers | We Chat To Leonardo Aviation Repair and Design Engineer, Nicola Cole

“If I’d listened to my teachers at school, I might never have ended up in an engineering career,” says Nicola Cole, aviation repair and design engineer at Leonardo. “But being told at 14 that I wasn’t bright enough for a science-based career made me more determined to succeed in one and, 34 years after I started as an apprentice in the electrical design department of an aviation specialist, I still love my job and I’m still glad I made the choices I did.” Nicola first decided that she wanted to be an engineer when she started spending her weekends tinkering with cars at the age of 12. O Levels in Physics and Chemistry put her on the path to an apprenticeship and, 18 months later, she made her first move as a contractor and has never looked back. “Contracting has given me the flexibility to work on projects that interest me and work in different locations,” Nicola continues. “I worked in Canada for a while and currently I am working for the Leonardo Helicopter Division in Yeovil, where we’re repairing a military helicopter that suffered a heavy landing in the desert and rolled on its side. “My job is all about finding solutions that will work, combining my experience and knowledge with the expertise in the team to bring the aircraft back into service. On this project, we’ve taken a helicopter that arrived in the workshop in five pieces and re-built it using parts from other aircraft, effectively creating a hybrid that will fly just as effectively as the original.” Nicola was contracted at Leonardo specifically for the current helicopter repair project she’s involved with but can already see an opportunity to work on similar future projects with the company. As is often the case, she is the only woman in both the office and the workshop, but being the only female member of the team doesn’t faze her. Indeed, she has seen big changes in terms of the number of female engineers rising through the ranks during the course of her career. Nicola continues: “When I first started in the industry, women often weren’t taken seriously because there was an assumption that you would eventually leave the company to start a family. That just isn’t the case anymore and the job is so interesting and rewarding that women return to work and handle the challenges of juggling work and family because they enjoy their job and want to continue their career. “There’s still more to be done to encourage increased diversity in the sector. Much of it is to do with misconceptions about what the job actually involves. A lot of young women considering a career like mine assume it will be very physically demanding whereas, in fact, it’s much more about problem solving and using your technical knowledge because all the lifting in the workshop is done by advanced machinery.” While Nicola believes there needs to be more diversity in recruitment of engineers to the aviation sector, there has been no shortage of variety in her own career. In addition to providing her with opportunities to travel and work overseas, Nicola’s career has included contracts working on initial design of transmissions, mechanical systems, electrical systems, structures and many more areas of aircraft as well as repair and refurbishment, both rotary and fixed wing. Over her 30+ year career, she has seen considerable change in the way that projects are delivered, with the hand-drawn hard copy engineering drawings she used in her early career making way for CADAM design technology, then 3D programs. She explains: “New technology and systems are making the role much easier. It’s now virtually just one screen that shows me all the information needed to design parts in situ knowing the surrounding structure.” More than three decades after Nicola first started her career, she still loves the challenge of her hands-on engineering role. She adds: “I broke the mould of my girls’ grammar school by choosing a career path that wasn’t considered very ‘ladylike’ at the time. Thank goodness those stereotypes are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Hopefully, today’s increasingly diverse and inclusive outlook will enable more women to spend their days clambering on a helicopter and bringing five broken pieces back from the brink as a single serviceable aircraft like I do, because it’s such a challenging and fulfilling job.” Morson are the UK’s No.1 Aerospace Recruiter and have some of the best opportunities in the industry. To find your opportunity in aviation, search our latest jobs
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5 lessons to take from the sporting arena to the office

Through the partnership of our Brand Ambassadors, Morson has closely followed the careers of a number of sporting stars and experts during the past year. The ambition and motivation of these athletes is second to none and here at Morson HQ, we have identified that many aspects of their advice can be transferred from the sporting arena to the office. Here are 5 business tips from sport to help you enhance your career: EMBRACE TEAMWORK The importance of teamwork can sound like a cliché and we’ve all heard how working as part of a team can increase efficiency and quality of output. Bryony Frost: I don’t see it as my work, it’s our work. It’s a team, and my job is like the last piece of the puzzle if you like, and I have to make sure it fits. All the teamwork, all the preparation and the passion behind the horse to get him to even be at the racecourse let alone win. Teamwork is not only the act of working together but is a mentality which you can bring to foster success on even solitary projects. Watch our exclusive Cheltenham Press Day video here. YOU NEED COMMITMENT TO REACH YOUR GOALS To pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer, Nathan makes a 100-mile round trip each day to train at Hatton Health and Fitness in Hyde. It’s a commitment the 21-year-old is happy to make as he looks to provide for his young family. Nathan Gorman: “Every one of the fighters in the gym is ambitious. They all want to strive for the top. There are no superstars in this gym, everyone’s grounded. Committing to a goal and acting on it is more likely to achieve results than simply waiting for things to change. Achieving a goal doesn’t just happen overnight, it takes hard work and sustained commitment. Find out more about Nathan’s ambitions here. INJECT A HEALTHY DOSE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE As a recently turned professional boxer, Ben Sheedy has to juggle training and working full time as a bricklayer to be able to pay the mortgage. This involves getting up at 5am every day to train before he goes off to do a full day of work. Ben Sheedy: “I boxed for a few years and then when the recession hit and work wasn’t as readily available in Manchester I was doing a lot of travelling to get to work so I couldn’t get to the gym. I was working in the Lake District and Wales, all sorts of places, so I had a few years out and then the minute the work picked up in Manchester and I could be back here regularly, I was straight back in the gym.” Self-discipline refers to your ability to focus on the set goal without submitting yourself to any distractions that come your way. He admits that “training and then going to work to lay bricks” is “not the easiest thing in the world” but he has the discipline to persevere in order to reach his goals. BE MORE AMBITIOUS A rewarding working life that ensures long-term happiness is certainly the aim of much of the working population. Keeping focused on your ambitions and goals, and asking yourself what it is you want from your career can keep you on the right track to achieving this. Bryony Frost: We talk about the stereotype of a lot of young girls being into horses at a very young age, but only a small number looking to pursue it as a career and a passion. “In any walk of life, going from hobby to career is a big step-up and it’s tough. You’ve got to go and grab it and know there’s probably going to be a lot of tears. Or you don’t do it and you pursue something that’s maybe a little easier and not quite so dependent on you might not make it.” Jockey, Bryony Frost understands that you don’t get to where you want to be without hard work and ambition, qualities in which she is definitely not lacking. To read more about overcoming the Gender Hurdle, click here. GET ORGANISED AND WORK ON YOUR GAME PLAN Ex England player and Sale Sharks legend Mark Cueto, who is now the clubs Commercial Director, attests to the similarities between the mindset of sportspeople and business people: “When you’re in rugby you have no idea how transferrable the skills that you’re learning are. A lot of it is really simple. For me, I worried that I wasn’t corporate enough to enter the business world, but a lot of it comes down to what you’ve learnt from rugby. You work hard, you set yourself goals and you have to work well with people – and this has put me in good stead” “When I’m going out getting sponsorship from the club it’s incredible the amount of businesses I speak to who don’t just want an advertising board, they want to be able to bring their staff down to Carrington for our players to give them tips on teamwork and organisation. Essentially marketing and sales strategies are game plans.” Cueto’s example just shows how important a sporting/team mentality can be in terms of succeeding in business and this knowledge is something that companies are actively trying to learn from sports teams. Mark also mentions that he’d love to go into business with Ged Mason, so our CEO needs to watch out for Cueto’s application! Click here to find out what our rugby stars’ futures look like after their sporting career. Stay up to date with our sporting stars and experts by following our dedicated Instagram page and reading our #careergoals blog where you can see exclusive interviews and the latest news.
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Back to Basics: Guide to Working with Recruiters

In the first episode of our Back to Basics series, Morson has put together a helpful guide to working with recruiters. Working with a recruiter to find your next role can be the most efficient way to find your next job. However, there are a number of points to consider to make sure you get the most out of the recruiter that you are working with. MAKE WHAT YOU CAN OFFER AND WANT YOU WANT REALLY CLEAR The first most important factor to get right is to explain where you currently are in your career and be specific about your next steps. Make sure the recruiter knows firstly what skills and experience you have in your field and secondly, what new role you are looking for. This includes details such as your salary expectations, the scope of the role, location and type of company etc. By making all of the above information clear from day one, you avoid the risk of wasting the recruiters and most importantly, your own time. GOOD COMMUNICATION Good communication during the recruitment process is key. Make sure you reply to all emails, return calls and keep the recruiter updated on your situation. You never know, that missed call may be the ticket to your new job! TRUST THEIR EXPERTISE Recruiters are job search experts, they know all of the tricks and have just the right amount of intuition to help you make a great connection. Many recruiters have been working in their industry for a long time and are therefore experts in their field. CV Recruiters look at hundreds of CVs every week so they know what to look for in a good CV. Trust their advice and consider any improvements that they suggest. INTERVIEW PREP A good recruiter will be there for you up until you secure your new job, so helping you prep for your interview is part of that process. Combined with your own personal preparation, listen to what they have to say and take their advice. Additionally, if you feel you need any further help, just ask! DOS AND DON’TS Overall there are some fundamental dos and don’ts to keep in mind when working with a recruiter: DO Communicate efficiently with your recruiter. Give feedback and expect to receive feedback. Have an idea of what you are looking for before you get in contact. Be open to their suggestions. DON’T Take constructive criticism personally. Waste the recruiters time. Don’t fabricate information about your experience and CV. Now you're ready to put these tips into practice! Register your CV to begin your job search today.
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Grasp Every Opportunity | 5 Minutes with a Morson Recruiter

Our new Recruitment Consultant, Kartik Masalawala has recently joined Morson, bringing with him a wealth of experience from a very interesting background. We sat down with Kartik to bring you 5 minutes with a Morson Recruiter… Kartik, I hear you’ve got quite a story to tell in regards to how you got into recruitment? Yeah, so I trained to be an accountant prior to working at Morson. I went through the full three years at Salford University and achieved my Accounting & Finance degree. Then, two years into my career as an Accountant and only three papers away from fully qualifying and I decided I wanted to become a recruiter! That’s quite a career change! What made you change your mind? If I’m honest, I used to look at recruitment roles and I didn’t think they were for me. I didn’t realise you could actually build a really successful career in recruitment and when I started to look into it, I realised how many opportunities there were out there. After 2 and a half years in accounting roles, I realised that sitting at a desk looking at spreadsheets all day wasn’t for me. So I thought, what else am I good at? I’m good at talking to people, negotiating, and I know the accounting market… recruitment! Once I started properly looking into the role I realised how much of a good fit it was; I could recruit accountants and have the inside knowledge of what it’s like to work in that specific role. It was the perfect fit. So what was your first taste of recruitment? I was speaking to a couple of recruiters who were trying to find me a new accounting job when I made the switch. One of them knew I wasn’t entirely loving the world of accountancy and said to me “you come across really well, if you ever decide you fancy a career change then let me know”. I’d actually already been thinking about recruitment so he arranged a couple of interviews for me. My first recruitment role was with a financial recruitment company based in Warrington where I recruited for practice accountancy roles. I knew straight away that this was the right job for me. What attracted you to Morson? I was contacted by Tom Wowk – Senior Recruitment Consultant who works at Morson and he said that he had been keeping an eye on me and that he would like me to come in to have a chat with some managers. Initially, it was the size of the company and the direction that it’s moving in. Morson offered me the progression I was looking for at the time. When I pulled up and saw the building, I thought “right okay… this is no small time company”, it was not what I was expecting at all. From the beginning of the interview, I could tell that Morson was the right fit for me. Have you transferred any skills from your time as an accountant and put them to use at Morson? Yeah definitely! A client will come to me and say “I’ve got an Assistant Account role I need you to recruit for” and they will list what requirements they have for the specific role. With my previous experience, I can almost predict what they are looking for, I understand the industry terms and know first-hand what it takes to work in accountancy. I’ve even helped some of my university course mates find jobs! Finally, your top tips for someone looking for a job in finance? Number one is always speak to a recruiter before jumping into a role as there are so many different routes to go down in a finance career. Recruiters can look at your situation and evaluate what path is best to take and how you can reach your goals in the most efficient way. Other than that you just need to graft! I’ve always been a great believer that if you put the work in, you get the results out. My biggest advice to school and college leavers is that if you decide to do a degree, do a sandwich degree. Three words – Experience means everything! Like the sound of becoming a recruiter? Morson has a range of internal vacancies available. Or, are you working in Finance and are looking for your next role? Browse our current professional services roles and register your CV to let our expert recruiters help you progress your career.
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Back to Basics: CV Tips and Advice

In the second episode of our Back to Basics series, Morson has put together some CV tips and advice to help you create that perfect CV and impress your potential employers. Your CV is one of the most important tickets to opening doors in your job search and is often the first opportunity you have to impress your potential employer. Make sure your CV stands out from the crowd and follow our CV tips and advice for success. GET THE BASICS RIGHT Make sure your CV is regularly updated and portrays you in the best light possible. Checking for missing skills, achievements or job roles is crucial as you could potentially miss off that new skill you have developed which would be the deciding factor to whether you get the job. Some suggested headings for your CV could include: Personal statement Contact information Relevant skills Work history and/or experience Education & Qualifications Achievements Hobbies & Interests References PRESENTATION IS KEY First impressions count and how you present your CV is just as important as how you present yourself. Badly formatted CVs with lots of borders or boxes can be distracting. Keep it simple, neat and remember to stick to no more than two pages in length. TAILOR YOUR CV Look at your CV, read it thoroughly. What does it say about your relevant experience or skills for this position? It’s important to alter your CV in line with the role that you’re applying for, using the job description and company information as a guide. This enables you to respond directly to the job description and explain exactly why you are the right candidate for the role. CAREER HISTORY AND REASONS FOR LEAVING To make the best impact you should always start with your most recent role, and then work backwards chronologically. By taking this approach, you ensure that a potential employer does not mistake your level of experience based on your very first role. It is important to reflect your reasons for leaving your current role in a positive manner. When a potential employee talks negatively about a past employer, regardless of the circumstances, you risk casting yourself in a negative light. If you are a contractor, then this is your opportunity to detail your contract durations. SUMMARISE YOUR SKILLS Including a ‘key skills’ section in your CV to act as a summary is another great way to show that you’re qualified for the job you are applying for. It’s useful to have it near the top of your CV, to show off your most relevant industry experience immediately. TOP TIP: Keep to the point and where appropriate make sure you can back up your claims with examples. Now your CV is up to scratch, you can you can register with Morson and create your unique candidate profile.
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