WE knew they could sing, but military spouses may be the secret weapon to tackle the nation’s staff shortages.
While the UK has 900,000 unfilled vacancies, employers often shy away from hiring the partners of Forces personnel, fearing they will not be long for the job if their other half is posted to a new base.
MoD/Crown copyright 2017British troops on exercises in Estonia[/caption]
AlamyWeeton Military Wives Choir at the Preston Military Show in 2013[/caption]
The public got to know and love many of them as BBC series The Military Wives Choir hit TV screens and had a No1 chart hit in 2011.
But research by social enterprise Recruit For Spouses found 99 per cent of military partners hide their other half’s job at interview.
And almost half have experienced discrimination due to their partner’s career when applying for a role.
Almost a third of those with a degree earn less than £20,000, as they accept roles that are below their qualification level, simply to remain employed.
While it is true that many Forces families do move location frequently, remote work has opened up new opportunities.
And partners can also work for larger firms with multiple locations, allowing them to transfer to one near their new base.
Recruit For Spouses founder Heledd Kendrick says: “Military partners have all the assets modern employers need.
‘Roll up sleeves’
“They are a diverse community who are resilient, skilled, agile and keen to work.
“They know how to roll up their sleeves and get on with the job.”
Founded in 2009, her company has placed tens of thousands of military partners into work.
It features a “Liquid Work-force” team, which is a pool of skilled military spouses ready for short-term or project-based work.
Alongside this, it has launched the RFS Career Academy to upskill both military spouses and the wider Armed Forces community.
Becky Beacock’s partner is a submariner in the Royal Navy.
Through RFS, the mum-of-three found a role working remotely as a senior member support executive with rewards club Virgin Red.
Becky, 39, from Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria, said: “Military spouses are the backbone of the military and hold the homes together for those serving.
“All we need from recruiters is a little understanding about military life and not to be seen as a person who has been at home with the kids or had gaps in employment due to moving around.
“Employers must look at what a military spouse can bring to the table. We are some of the strongest people I know and possess more skills than most.”
Feedback from many employers who have hired military partners is outstanding, with bosses at Virgin Red saying: “Our military spouse team has consistently hit 100 per cent positive feedback, which is a statistic we have never seen before.
“They also increased productivity by 80 per cent.”
Learn more at recruitforspouses.co.uk.
REASONS TO HIRE MILITARY SPOUSES
Reliability and dedication: Military spouses possess a strong work ethic and are known for their grit and dedication.
Thinking outside box: Forces partners are natural problem-solvers. They are used to moving house alone, being left in charge of changing schools, sorting out bills and settling children.
Resilience and adaptability: They are highly adaptable and can quickly adjust to new environments and situations.
Multicultural and global perspective: Military spouses often have exposure to diverse cultures, owing to having lived in different locations around the world. This brings enhanced cross-cultural communication skills and understanding to the workplace.
Jobspot
WASTE management firm FCC ENVIRONMENT needs 50 new apprentices, including engineers, business administrators and chartered managers. For details, see careers.fccenvironment.co.uk/FCCEnvironment/Home.
TIME TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR CV
SPRING is here and along with sprucing up the house it’s time to dust down your CV and give that a going-over – so you can open up exicting new employment horizons.
Google Trends has reported a 26 per cent spike in searches for “career refresh”, so here Ed Johnson from mentoring platform PushFar.com shares his tips for doing just that . . .
LinkedInEd Johnson shares his tips for dusting down your CV and give that a going-over[/caption]
POLISH YOUR CV: Most of us only update our CV when we’re looking for a new job, but this risks you leaving off key achievements, especially when you haven’t changed jobs in years. A regular refresh of your CV will keep you on top of all your accomplishments.
SET CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Revisit the career goals you set at the start of the New Year. Review what you have achieved so far, and assess what you need to do to stay on track for the rest of the year.
DO A DIGITAL DECLUTTER: Creating a tidy inbox will reduce your stress levels by ensuring it only holds what you need. Unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read, filter your emails into specific folders within your inbox to make them easily accessible, and delete any emails that no longer serve a purpose.
CHECK IN WITH YOUR NETWORK: Reach out to people you may have spoken to or met at previous networking events, to ensure you are maintaining meaningful relationships with professionals in your field. You never know when these connections will come in handy later down the line.
CREATE THE PERFECT WFH SET-UP: With around 44 per cent of the UK now working either remotely or hybrid, setting up a dedicated workspace can help your career. Ensure you build in space for storage and your tech and pick a comfortable desk you can work at for long periods.
Jobspot
HOTEL chain ACCOR is hiring 100 apprentices, across its operations and facilities management departments. You can find out more at careers.accor.com/global/en.
INTEL IT TO WIN IT
APPLY for a job in under 60 seconds – with new AI-powered recruitment platform Socially Recruited.com.
The firm’s CandidatePages system works with jobs posted on social media including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
When a user clicks on a job ad, a streamlined application form automatically fills itself in using data saved on their device. CandidatePages also allows job hunters to upload a CV or link to their LinkedIn profile.
Socially Recruited founder Ben Keighley says: The conventional application form is a barrier. Candidates get put off by long-winded, complex forms.
“CandidatePages seeks to change all this. It is as easy as buying something on Amazon.”
MULTI-GEN UP , ALL
GettyStaff are falling into ‘career echo chambers’ by not chatting to workers of different ages[/caption]
DESPITE most of us working in multi-generational environments, staff are falling into “career echo chambers” by not chatting to workers of different ages.
New research from LinkedIn shows 40 per cent of those over 55 have not spoken to a Gen Z colleague in over a year, while one in every five Gen Z workers has not had a direct conversation with a colleague aged over 50.
But three-quarters of professionals agree they have much to learn from other generations.
LinkedIn’s Charlotte Davies said: “Multi-generational workforces provide access to diverse perspectives, knowledge and insights that can help young professionals, in particular, gain confidence.”
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