
Test Owner
10 Things to Do on Your Long Commute to Work
The journey time to work is increasing year on year. In London, the average commuter spends 107 hours every year commuting. Most people will find themselves on a train, in a cycle of endless social media scrawling. If you’re feeling a little more organised you might bring a book, kindle or head phones, but even that can get a bit tedious. So, what about trying something new? Making that Monday to Friday working week start a little differently?
1. Meal Plan
A Monday morning is usually the time where you reminisce on the poor food and drink choices you made over the weekend, and so, it is also a good day to kick start your healthy working week. Use Apps such as Yummly, Mealboard or Change4life to create shopping lists and weekly meals. Keeping you organised and healthy…. until Friday comes around again.
2. Email an Old Friend
This might seem a bit corny but we are all guilty of not keeping in touch with friends. The couple you met on holiday who you promised to email for a meet up or your friend from university who you ‘would never lose contact with’, but it’s been 6 months and apart from a comment on their last Instagram post you haven’t spoken. Drop them an email, who knows they could be looking for something to do on their commute to work too.
3. Get a Non-fiction Audiobook
Some people love a good non-fiction book, others love the idea of reading a book on politics, religion, physics or the Spanish monarchy but after a long day at work the last thing you want is a heavy read. Why not download it as an audiobook you can listen to on route, educate yourself without needing as much concentration.
4. Play a Brain Training Game
It might seem like the days of brain training games on the Nintendo DS have disappeared but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still available. There are plenty of games and challenges available in the App Store to test your memory, mathematics and problem solving skills. Get your brain ticking before your day with games such as Elevate, Peak or Brain School.
5. Feel Inspired
There are plenty of very interesting, inspirational speakers producing vlogs and podcasts at the moment. Unlike in the past, these are not all are over enthusiastic Americans with vague slogans promoting their self-help book. Now speakers are coming in all shapes and sizes. Check out TEDTALKS, you can download most onto your phone and watch offline. Trust us, there is a talk for every mood, every interest and every journey length.
6. Stay Up-to-Date
Start your day by updating yourself on current affairs across the world, or even just across the UK. Sign up for a current affairs email newsletter like The Times Red Box! The email is normally sent by 8am with a rundown of what’s happening that day, what happened the day before and a few opinion articles. Instead of talking office politics when you get to work you can talk global politics!
7. Learn a New Language
Heading to Portugal this summer or for a long weekend in Italy? Why not learn a few phrases to help you out while you’re there? There are plenty of free apps and podcasts you can download to help you. A word of warning, it’s probably a good idea for you to keep the practicing to car journeys, no one wants to hear you shouting ‘je voudrais une bière, s’il vous plait’ at 8 in the morning!
8. Look for New Opportunities
If the journey time is getting to you, it could be worth looking for a new opportunity, in a new location. Long commutes can put additional pressure on you and your working life. Spend some time looking at jobs available in your sector or try contacting a recruitment company who will be able to hand pick jobs that match your criteria.
9. Never Forget a Birthday Again
Admit it, we have all forgotten an important birthday! A nephew’s 11th birthday, your neighbour’s 30th, the same neighbour who gave you that lovely hamper for yours or your grandads just-after-Christmas birthday. Spend your commute adding all the birthdays you usually forget to your calendar with a reminder set 3-4 days before so you have time to buy that emergency card, grab that thoughtful gift card and send it first class!
10. Turn Off All Technology
Don’t freak out, but you could try turning everything off and have some time offline. Take out the headphones, switch on airplane mode and spend a bit of time before the busy day at a computer desk looking out the window, talking to the person next to you or just relaxing.
Intern Diaries: A letter to me
As part of our series celebrating women in different industries we asked our social media intern to write a letter to her younger self. She might only be 21 but it looks like a year in industry, 3 years at University and moving away from home has already taught her a lot.
Dear 16-year-old Charlotte,
It might have only been 5 years but trust me, you have changed a lot! In the next five years, you will do some impressive things. Things that at the time you might underestimate (it was pretty big moving to a new country alone for over 4 months). You will also do some things you will be very smug about but do not live up to the hype (that interview you did for Good Morning Britain never got aired, so stop telling people about it).
A lot of people will say “regret nothing”, which is a nice idea, but these people have clearly never tried to use a razor blade to sort out their eyebrows or worn a skirt on a windy day. Personally, I think it is impossible not to have some regrets, even if they are small. Yes, if it wasn’t for some of the harder, bad and embarrassing times you wouldn’t be where you are now but how much did calling the headteacher "mum" in front of the school really help me grow as a person? So here is your run down of the Dos and Don’ts for your studying, working, and social future.
- Getting a C in a piece of coursework reallllyyyyy isn’t the end of the world. Yes, it was your first piece of work for your GCSE and yes, you were predicted an A, but your parents will not be disappointed, it accounts for 10% of your grade and you will still finish on an A* so don’t cry in the school toilets then pretend a family member has died so no one laughs at you, it really isn’t worth a tear or faking someone’s death.
- The girls that laughed at you for wanting to start a journalism club at school don’t matter. They never did. So keep pushing to start it, you love writing so don’t waste your time worrying about what anyone else thinks and do it anyway.
- DON’T DYE YOUR HAIR RED AND REALLY DON’T DYEYOUR EYEBROWS RED TO MATCH. PLEASE.
- Do keep searching and applying for part time jobs. No 16-year-old looks for a job quite like you do. You will spend days writing applications, hours handing out CVs and a ridiculous amount of your summer holidays volunteering in various places to get yourself experience, but it pays off… I promise! Your first job (forgetting the Avon you did with your mum) will be the envy of all your friends and set you up for University too
- You will make a complete fool of yourself on your first ever work-experience position. You will be laughed at by the entire of Newcastle city centre on your way to work for having your skirt tucked in your knickers and your dress not zipped up. You will have a cry in the toilets but, you will get even more laughs telling the story back to friends and family. More importantly the story will help calm the nerves of the work-experience girl you helped on her first day a few years later! So, don’t worry about it! Everyone needs a few Bridget Jones moments…
- Ignore the lecturer at Oxford University who told you not to bother applying because you didn’t look the part and didn’t have over 7 A*, he was a horrible man. But don’t let it change that gut feeling you have that Leeds University will be right for you, it really will be.
- And finally…
Very important this one…
DO NOT WRITE OFF YOUR PARENTS’ CAR TWO WEEKS AFTER PASSING YOUR TEST!
Good luck!
21-year-old you!
Interview with Sharon Hodgson MP
Sharon Hodgson has been MP for North East constituency, Washington and Sunderland West since 2005. When first elected as a Member of Parliament she was the only female MP in the whole of Tyne and Wear, as a result, she knows what it is like to be in a male dominated workforce. We spoke to Sharon about how careers have changed for women, her experience working in parliament and what can be done to reduce the gender gap in many industries.
When you first were elected parliament was even more male dominated than it is today, did this concern you when you first started as an MP?
When I was first elected to Parliament in 2005, I was the only woman MP in the whole of Tyne and Wear; one woman out of 13 MPs. However, we now see more than half of the constituencies in Tyne and Wear represented by women. Also within Parliament nationally, the number of women sitting on the green benches make up 32% of all MPs, up from 20% in 1997. This is a trend I hope to see continue, as there is still a lot more to be done on women’s representation in Parliament.
Whilst entering a male-dominated workplace did not concern me, it was clear from being elected that women were still seen as unusual in the House of Commons and can still be seen in that way today – especially when it comes to the way we dress or for even being here in the first place when often we can be mistaken for the wife of a male MP or a research assistant. It is issues like this that concern me and are part of why we need to address the gender imbalance in Parliament, so that such a culture does not exist any longer.
There is still a sense of “boy jobs” and “girl jobs” in a lot of sectors, is there anything you think parliamentarians can do to help tackle this problem?
Firstly, I would say it is not helpful for the Prime Minister to reinstate gender stereotypes on national TV. It is important as Parliamentarians to do all that we can to address gender stereotyping in our society, may this be that girls are meek and mild who play with dolls or boys are loud and boisterous who play with trucks. Gender stereotyping is a deep-rooted issue that affects both genders, and we should be promoting individuals to pursue whatever takes their interest in life – even if it doesn’t conform to out-dated cultural norms.
Schools are really pushing to engage with more young women and introduce them into STEM subjects, how different was this when you were at school?
It is a welcome push to see young women being encouraged to take STEM subjects, so that as they enter the world of work they can help balance out the gender inequality in these sectors. However, we must address the issue of teachers admitting to subconscious gender stereotypes in relation to STEM subjects in order to not waste the potential of any young women who could be the next mathematician or engineer.
“When I was at school, there was not as strong a push for young women to go into industries that we typically perceive to be male-dominated, and this was reflected in the school curriculum and the careers advice given to young women at the time, with many being pushed into home economics at school or into secretarial work once they were old enough to get a job. It is welcome that this is not the case any longer and the work being done now will hopefully ensure we see more women entering male-dominated workplaces.
We recently saw on twitter your daughter graduating with a 1st in Maths! Are people ever surprised when you say what subject your daughter chose?
Strangely enough I would say on balance more yes than no to this question which I wouldn't have expected in this day and age. People still seem to acknowledge Maths is a very serious and difficult subject and perhaps therefore think not something young women would want to do which is where the stereotyping comes in. People have also said she doesn't look the type either. Again reinforcing some odd stereotype. I would say on the whole though people are more impressed than surprised especially when they learn how well she did. She is going on to do a PGCE to become a maths teacher, so I hope she will be able to inspire more young women to take an interest in maths and a potential career in the subject; as she has done.
If you could give your 18-year-old self some career advice now what would it be?
If I was to give my 18-year-old self some career advice it would be the advice I got later in life when I heard Tony Robbins (a famous life coach) speaking, and that was “it’s in the moment of our decisions that our destiny is made”. Since hearing this inspirational quote, it has been a driving force in everything that I now do in life. Even before I heard this quote, I would say that this was something I always believed in, but I would like to go back and say this to my 18-year-old self so that it remains central in my mind as I made life decisions from an early age.
Labour Party female Members of Parliament.
A Conversation with NG Bailey's Kayley Lockhead
As part of our Women In Industry series we have been talking to different women across the Built Environment sector. Kayley Lockhead first started in the industry 10 years ago on an NG BAILEY apprenticeship. Now, she is a leading light for young people looking to start a career in engineering, heading STEER group, an organisation that supports students into engineering careers. We spoke to her about her experiences in the sector and the best ways to get more women in the industry.
What made you first choose a career in engineering?
I’ve always been the practical type and when I was young I liked helping my dad out with DIY around the house, school wise I was always quite academic so I knew I wanted to choose a career that combined my academic and practical abilities and interest. mechanical engineering seemed to tick those boxes, particularly mechanical design engineering.
I started my apprenticeship at NG Bailey in 2007, back then apprenticeships were less known but I benefited from a Mum who worked in careers so I had a wider knowledge of what opportunities were out there for me.
What is the biggest number of women you have had in your team/worked with?
At first, I was the only female apprentice. It was daunting but I think starting an apprenticeship is daunting for anyone at that age. We were all comfortable at school so stepping into a professional working environment did take some adjusting. Luckily there was a lot of support for all the young people.
Even today you do expect to be the only girl on a project but there are some exceptions to the rule: The project I recently finished working on, The University of York Piazza Learning Centre had a lot of women working across the project.
Are people ever shocked when you tell them the industry you work in?
I have not ever really experienced anything like that.
If you could give your 16-year-old self some career advice what would it be?
Have confidence in your own ability, everyone is so much older than you so it’s important to have confidence in yourself even at a young age.
What do you think are the main barriers preventing more young women choosing engineering?
Many young women, and young men, are unsure of the routes available into construction or the variety of roles available in the industry. Mechanical engineering, for example, is of course a demanding position but it is not all technically challenging and it’s not all about mechanics, there is a lot more to it.
The education system needs to be more active in helping young people understand the career opportunities available to them. This means schools providing more education at an early age and universities encouraging more young people to follow a career related to their degree. In a lot of cases graduates do not choose careers relevant to their degree and this is partly because they aren’t aware of the jobs available to them. I am part of an organisation called STEER which works to support graduates into engineering roles through networking events and mentoring. After the success of last year, we are fully expecting the organisation to grow again in the year ahead.
Is there anything you think companies could do help bring more women into engineering?
Taking a proactive approach at an early stage, get involved in schools, organise events and speak to young people. At NG Bailey we do a lot of this, it’s so important to make people aware of the opportunities available because they are always changing.
Say Hello to AlbaRosa Cycling Club!
At Calibre Search we believe being a successful business doesn’t simply mean being profitable, but having a sense of social responsibility and giving back to the local community as well. Alongside charity runs, events and competitions, over the past few years we have sponsored several sports teams at junior and senior levels.
One of those groups is the albaRosa Cycling Club and you may have seen the Calibre Search logo on the back of their distinctive pink and black kit.
Started in 2012, in just 5 years they have grown to having over 440 members today and they pride themselves in welcoming anyone with a with an interest in cycling: race teams and training for the competitive, regular social rides for the café lovers and an ever-growing junior membership.
This year albaRosa has reached new heights and we think it is worth shouting about! Through great training, talent and the help of sponsorship funding the club have been able to do something very special for their youth division. Up until last year it was made up of 20-30 riders aged between 7 -14 years old attending on a weekly basis, but now, the club has 70 young people on their books.
They have benefitted from new coaches, a Manchester Velodrome session and for the first time in albaRosa history there is now a youth race team.
To all of us cycling novices the introduction of a race team might seem an easy task, but the time, equipment and cost of building a good race team is far from easy. With support from Calibre Search and our fellow sponsors, albaRosa was able to provide the 12-strong youth team with club race kit, race wheels, warm up rollers and anything else they would need to get them ready to compete.
Already the results are clear, albaRosa know how to race! The youth team has achieved 21 wins and 69 podium finishes whilst putting plenty of smiles on faces of the young cyclists and their families by giving them chance to learn road and cycling skills in a safe and social environment.
The club has been busy achieving massive things year so far and they aren’t ready to slow down any time soon! On the 19th of August, the club are setting out on their most ambitious task to date and hosting the Yorkshire Regional Road Race Championships. This event has Juniors, Men’s and Women’s racing in the morning and Elite racing in the afternoon and is expected to be the biggest event in the clubs 2017 calendar. The preparation and excitement is well underway with the event being about more than cycling with there being a BBQ, marquees and chance to view the closed road races creating a full day of festival style fun!
But the club is a long way from being just about racing; the emphasis is on social, be it on the road and online. Each week there are social rides of varying distances, hills and number of coffee stops while they also arranged a charity fund raiser for WaterAid earlier this year and there is usually a group wearing pink and black at most organised rides in the region and beyond such as the Coast2Coast… in a day.
We are delighted to be able support such a successful, ever growing and local group and we can’t wait to see what more the club can achieve. If you want to find out more about albaRosa and their events make sure check out their website here or follow them on twitter at @AlbaRosaCC.
After the success of our CV tips series, we decided to follow with a series of interview tips to help get you hired. This week we have spoken to our Head of HVACR & FM. This sector's recruitment process can move very quickly so it's important to say and do the right things from the start.
Associate Director specialising in HVAC & Refrigeration
0113 243 6047
john.cassidy@calibresearch.co.uk
Prepare for Very Different Interview Styles
No two interviews are the same and whilst you might be used to meeting in a coffee shop for an informal conversation you need to also be prepared for a more formal, traditional style of interview. National companies can ask you to complete technical tests and meet with numerous company representatives. To be best prepared, try to find out as much detail about the interview process before attending. Ask what to expect from the interview, what they would like you to bring with you, how long the interview will take and who you will be meeting with. Knowing the answer to these questions will help to gauge the style and formality of the interview process. It's always better to be over-prepared.
Don't Come Across as Money Motivated
Most interviewers will understand and appreciate that salary is important to any potential employee but try not to spend too much time discussing the financial side of the job. Interviewers are looking for passion and interest in the company, with many companies in the industry having a relatively high staff turnover they will be looking specifically for company loyalty. If you need to ask about salary try and sandwich the question between two company-based questions.
For example:
How many contracts does the company currently work on?
What are the overtime payments?
What area will I be covering?
Using a good recruiter will help get the answers to the difficult questions pre-interview. A recruiter will usually already know important details such as salary, overtime pay, travel-time payments, call-out rate, pension schemes and holiday, anything they don't know they are more than happy to find out for you. Giving you, upfront knowledge of the position and saving you from awkward questions!
Show your Loyalty
As mentioned earlier, loyalty is a top priority for most companies, but especially in this industry. You want to make clear your enthusiasm towards working for their company whilst showing respect for your previous employer. It's about getting a good balance. Refrain from spending too much time discussing any negative feelings or experiences you have with your previous companies. This can seem unprofessional. Similarly, you might think offering to start as early as possible, earlier than your notice period allows, will make you a stronger candidate, but it can look like you are comfortable leaving your current employer in the lurch. Unless you're in a unique circumstance always see out your notice and make the interviewer aware of your notice at an early stage.
Have your Interview Notes to Hand
You will know how quickly you can be offered an interview in this industry and it's not uncommon to be asked to attend at very short notice, meaning limited time to collate your qualifications, CV and proof of right to work. If possible, give yourself a little time to write some notes, even on your phone, to remind yourself of the important qualifications, training and experience you have had. It is easy to forget these things under the pressure of an interview so having them written down can be a point of reference when missing the documents you would usually have with you.
First Impressions are Key
To get to the interview stage your experience and skills are likely to be right for the job. This stage of the recruitment process is used to fill in the gaps, in particular, to see if your character is right for the company. Too often in this industry candidates are too self-promoting in the interview stage and this can come across as arrogant. Try discussing your skills and qualifications by linking them to the company's interests, goals and achievements. You want the interviewer to feel you will support the company as well as drive for individual success.
It's Ok to Wear Your Work Clothes
Companies are usually very accepting – and often expect- you to be in your work uniform when you come to the interview. Interviews tend to take place during working hours and therefore your interviewer will already be grateful you are taking time out of your working day to meet. Of course, there will be some exceptions to the rule so, if you know you will be coming directly from work, try to mention this beforehand, it will seem more considerate.
Associate Director specialising in HVAC & Refrigeration
John.cassidy@calibresearch.co.uk
Struggling to find the right position for you in the first place? Our team at Calibre Search have the experience and expertise to help you find the role that will help your career develop. Find out what is available on the Calibre Job Page. Call us on 0113 234 6047 to find out how we can help you. Alternatively, you can email our specialists and they will be in touch
Only 9% of the engineering workforce is female and only 6% of registered engineers and technicians are women. The numbers of females studying engineering is growing across the UK but there is still lots to be done to change the gender gap. Last week we spoke to Lauren, a Mechanical Engineering Graduate from Newcastle, she told us about her experience studying engineering, her views on the industry and how people react when she tells them her degree!
So what made you first choose to study engineering at University?
I didn't know what I wanted to do throughout school and sixth form but I was always good at, and really liked maths and physics. I loved to find ways around problems in the house when I was younger and I would make small contraptions to solve the problems. My older brother is very similar to me and went on to do mechanical engineering at Northumbria University. He would show me videos and projects that he was doing and I thought it would be something I would enjoy, so when it came to deciding what to do at university I decided to do mechanical engineering and ended up at Newcastle University.
Was it hard to get on an Engineering Course? Did you feel prepared to start studying?
I got ABCD in A-level maths, physics, chemistry andgeography. The grades needed for Newcastle were AAB. I did the partners scheme to lower the grade boundaries to ABB and with the extra credits from an extended project qualification I managed to get in. I had an interview with Newcastle University before I was accepted but I prepared well for it. My first choice was Leeds University which wanted AAA to be accepted and I was rejected from that. It was aspirational so I was disappointed but not surprised. I didn't do further maths at A-level which included a mechanics module so when I got to uni I found that having an A-level in further maths would have really helped, I struggled a lot with the mechanics module when I got to uni.
What was the gender ratio like on your course?
We had 160 students on our course at the beginning and only 11 were girls. My brother only had 6 in his year so I suppose 11 was an improvement! I had only 2 female lecturers throughout the whole 3 years.
Are people often shocked by your degree?
Yeah all of the time! I'm a petite blonde girl so I think they see me as quite a girly girl. It's always fun to shock them with the degree though! I've had one person call me a liar on a night out once. But there is always going to be someone who thinks like that. I expected to have more boys on my course be a less accepting of women engineers but they have all been lovely and have the right views about it.
Have you got a grad job set up?
Not at the minute, I have decided to take a little time off before starting a graduate job.
Is there anything you're looking for in particular, anything you want to go into?
I'm not too fussed about which companies but I would like to go into product design if I can. I'm not 100% sure what field I want to work in but I think product design is a big start in finding that out. I'm also up for working as a mechanical engineer if I struggle to find a job in product design.
Did it take any adjusting to be one of very few women in your university classes and do you think it will be strange when joining a new company?
It wasn't too difficult, I've always had a lot of male friends at school and from what my brother had told me from his year, I had expected there to be few girls. We had a 'women in engineering' lunch in fresher's week which helped us meet the other girls on our course. We have a group of girls that stuck together but most of us mingled with the boys. Everyone got to know our names very quickly as we stood out more so we made friends quite quickly. I think starting a new company may be more difficult as everyone will probably have their own friends in the work place and you have to try and fit in, whereas at uni no one knows anyone at first so people are open to make those friendships with you.
Is there anything you have come across while studying that would put girls off from doing an engineering degree?
Not that I can think of, I think the uni can see how difficult it can be for girls and they've really done well to help us get to know each other. There's a lot of practical work but I'm sure if any girls want to do engineering they can expect that to happen!
Is there anything you would like to see in the future for women in the industry?
I think they're on the right track. They've really tried to get girls into STEM subjects and engineering as a whole to try and steer away from the stereotype. They had people come in at school which swayed me towards engineering. I know the year below me at University had a lot more girls than my year so I think it's working. I think it would be nice to see more women in engineering but at the same time I don't think the men should be penalised for being men if they're better for the job. We're getting there but it will still take some time. The thing I'd like to see most is the stereotype engineering be changed, that will help young girls feel like it's more acceptable to pursue an engineering career but that's easier said than done.
Are you an Engineering Graduate looking for your first step on the career ladder? Here at Calibre Search our specialists are out and out experts in the sectors they work in. They know what’s happening in the industry, who the big players are and how to reach them. Check out our job page to find out what is available or alternatively you can email us or give us a call on 0113 423 6047 to see how we can help you.
Interview Tips for Site Managers
There are numerous interview tips which apply to any career, but knowing how to approach different interviews for different companies can put you ahead of the curve. Here are some insider tips for your Site Manager interview.
Have Stats to Hand
Everyone knows to take your CV to the interview. It means you have a point of reference and as most interviewers will also have a copy you will be able to predict what they will want to discuss next.For extra detail before the interview, add notes to your CV with statistics, costs, budgets and timescales. You are likely to be asked specific questions and having the facts to hand will show you are prepared and organised.
Tailor your Conversation
Whilst you may have a vast amount of managerial experience you need to make sure the skills and examples you are highlighting are relevant to the property sector you are being interviewed for. You may have a vast amount of social housing experience but if the interviewing company builds speculative homes then it will look like you haven't researched the company enough to know what housing sector they work in. Keep what you are saying relevant to the company.
Don’t Miss out on an Opportunity to Showcase Your Skills
Candidates often fail to use the interview as an opportunity to talk about their success and even miss important skills, qualifications and commendations from their CV. Make use of your time with the interviews to fill any gaps you couldn't fit on your CV, this includes any first aid qualification, IOSH, NEBOSH or other training you have. If you have ever been recognised or rewarded for your work as a Site Manager, even if you were nominated but did not win, make every effort to mention it. You want to sell yourself without sounding like you are bragging.
Stand Your Ground
This does not mean getting competitive or aggressive with your interviewer but don’t be afraid to speak truthfully. It has been known for companies to test your knowledge and experience in Site Manager interviews. If they say their build time is 16 weeks and you are confident it should be 20 weeks, speak up. Assuming you are correct, they will be impressed with your understanding and it opens the conversation to discuss specific projects.
Ask the Questions That Matter
There is fine line between the right and wrong questions to be asking in an interview. Bonus structures are of course important to you but make sure you don’t look driven by individual gains instead of company goals and success. Looking interested in the company as well as your own career progression shows the right attitude in the interview. Ask about the company’s core goals and values, this will help to determine what the bonus structure will depend on, whilst finding out what drives the company. Find out more about future projects: again this has two benefits 1. you will show interest in the company’s development and long-term plan and 2. you get a greater idea of other locations you may be asked to work in.
The Intern Diaries: Part III
Our Intern Charlotte has been pretty busy and after 5 weeks working she gives you the run down of what she's been up to and what she has planned...
The offices have been complaining about me. Apparently I’m never in the office, my lunches are too healthy and the final straw was when I was criticized for my tea making ability.
All are very accurate complaints. I have made some embarrassing brews but I don’t think it’s a reflection on my tea ability, I do have healthy lunches but as a social media intern, my Instagram must be filled with healthy lunches so I can use the #healthyliving and, in truth, I have spent a lot of time out of the office.
The important thing is that my time out of the office has been work related! Within the first few weeks I had attended an SEO conference; full of very interesting speakers, helped on the annual golf day and meeting clients, joined the whole team in an escape challenge, spent the day photographing Leeds and visited the Manchester office to meet the Calibre Search team over there. For a summer internship, I would say I have done pretty well! Everything I have attended has filled the social media feeds and, as a social media nerd, I get a real buzz from every click, like, share or retweet.
Nearly five weeks have passed, my days are packed with things to do; blogs to write, posts to produce, campaigns to start and events to attend. Nearly five weeks working and I feel like I have been part of the team for months. I know that after the internship is over I will be Calibre Search’s social media stalker, partly critiquing everything produced, but mainly jealous I’m not the one producing it.
Last week was the first social media campaign I worked on. #Wimbledont was a competition for the Calibre team and other offices to compete in three 5-minute challenges across the week for a chance to win a Wimbledon themed hamper. The challenges included a clipboard rally, a Wimbledon outfit challenge and an Andy Murray impersonation challenge. With some big help from the team we got some great responses and the team at Branded3 won the hamper for some very creative entries.
On top of all of the work and events I was invited to join the whole team in the annual trip to York races. I was delighted! The day was fantastic, despite having a few of the team missing we still had a great day and I actually ended up making more money than I took, annoying a good proportion of the losers in the group.
So what will my last few weeks entail? As an intern, I have not been actively researching candidates, clients or companies, that isn’t my role in here, however, I have noticed that with a heavy Built Environment recruitment team there has been an unbelievably small number of women in the industry. We have women recruiting for the sector but so few women in it. Not a surprise to most, but when so many sectors are now beginning to achieve a greater equality (Well… apart from the BBC apparently!) construction, engineering and others similar are really behind the curve.
So I am setting myself a goal for my final few weeks, to produce content promoting the achievements of women. I don’t expect to change anything but I want to spend some time shouting about the numbers, very talented women working in male dominated industries, and the even bigger amount of potential talent out there.
It’s great working for a company where you have the freedom to be creative with ideas. Some of my ideas have been unique and deliverable some have been awful and embarrassing, despite the latter I have never felt nervous about pitching them to the team. This bad brew making, healthy lunch eating, skiver is still very happy and looking forward to what the next few weeks will bring… who knows maybe one day they will agree to my idea to add a “Leeds United Appreciation” page to the website and having #UnlimitedMalteaserMondays…
York Race Day 2017
The Calibre Search York race day is without doubt the most talked about event of the year for the Calibre team. For the newbies, unaware of the annual event it does not take long before other colleagues are sharing anecdotes of the year before, showing pictures of the day and planning their outfit for the next.
This year the buzz of excitement for race day started two weeks before, the men debated between a navy blue three piece or a two piece with a tweed blazer whilst the girls compared hair styles and dress colours. It’s safe to say, it was the fashion event of the summer for Calibre Search.
The day finally came and by 8.30am on Friday 14th July the Leeds office was filled with very well-dressed workers, a photographer, bucks fizz, bacon sandwiches and enough hash browns to feed everyone for the day.
The photographer had a tough time getting people to stand still for more than 30 seconds, everyone too busy complimenting outfits and taking selfies.
Arriving at the races at 11am, the team headed straight to the private box for the day, filled with food, drinks and a brilliant view of the finish line. Some were more optimistic than others about how they were going to do on the days races. Overly optimistic.
The first race was a success for a lot of the Calibre team but their luck wasn’t going to last too long. Despite the weather being a bit windy everyone spent most of the day on the balcony, admiring the views, watching the horses go by and taking selfies.
The food and drinks flowed throughout the day. The team may not have been doing great on the races but there wasn’t a frown in sight, even after the 3.15 race when the horse chosen for the whole team, due to its great record and good odds, came dead last.
It was hard to choose the best dressed for the day, everyone had made a real effort and the girls were looking lovely, especially our Calibre race day experts Danielle and Lindsay who once again were looking stunning in their summer dresses.
But everyone was still made to vote for their best dressed and worst dressed man. One of Calibres newest recruits Kristian Purdy won best dress for his lovely three-piece suit and Calibre veteran Mark Brennan won worst dressed for “Coming to the races in his work suit”.
The day at the races was over by 6pm and after enjoying a little more of the sun in Leeds at Banyan Bar and Kitchen it was time to end another fantastic day at the races. The highlight of the Calibre calendar, bringing the Leeds and Manchester teams together for a day celebrating the success of the year so far. The countdown begins for next year…
At Calibre Search we believe in working hard and playing hard too. We’re a professional outfit but we don’t take ourselves too seriously and we create the right kind of atmosphere so everyone can thrive. We’re looking for talented people for our Manchester office and we can offer you a considerable benefits package, commission structure, flexibility and a great working environment. Interested?
Send your CV to Pete Gillick at pete.gillick@calibresearch.co.uk. We would be happy to answer any questions you have on the role, give us a call on 0161 660 2360.