Nichola Holdship

People Development Manager

Aiming to reduce inequalities and providing equal opportunities for people from all backgrounds to achieve their full potential.

Building relationships with local communities, supporting local community causes and committing Acorn Impact volunteering days.

Ensuring products and services are sourced from suppliers that respect human rights, minimise environmental impact and uphold ethical standards.

Minimising our environmental impact, reduce resource consumption, and contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

Creating a supportive and engaging workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Social Mobility

Community Engagement 

Ethical Sourcing &amp; Supply Chain Management

Environmental Sustainability

Employee Wellbeing and Development

Please call us on 01270 213113 to book an appointment. Please bring your CV if you have one and your ID documents (passport / National ID card etc).

We cover a wide variety of roles from industrial packaging and warehouse roles to technical, public sector, driving and commercial / office-based roles.

There is a public pay and display car park behind our office on Oak Street and time-limited free parking on High Street.

We are a first floor office in Breeden House.  Please go to the reception entrance on Edleston Road and press buzzer 4b.

What are your open hours? 

What do I need to register? test

What type of roles can you offer me? 

Where do I park? 

How do I access the office? 

Acorn by Synergie offers permanent, temporary, and contract recruitment across the UK.                

Acorn by Synergie places agency workers into assignments with approximately 850 different client companies across the UK.                      Also recruits within various different sectors including commercial, industrial, technical, steel, construction, rail, driving, food processing, and hospitality.  

Yes, Acorn by Synergie is a member of the Recruitment &amp;  Employment Confederation (REC) and is ISO 9001:2015 accredited.  Acorn by Synergie is also committed to ethical recruitment practices. They are a GLAA license holder, a Stronger Together Business Partner, and comply with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code. This ensures that workers are not charged fees for employment and that they are protected from labor exploitation and human trafficking.

Acorn by Synergie ensures that workers are placed into a safe working environment, paid at National Minimum Wage (NMW) or above, and provided with clear contract and working conditions. Wages are paid on a weekly basis, one week in arrears. Payment is made by direct credit into a bank / building society account of the worker's choice every Friday. Workers must have their own bank account or joint access to one.

Discounted online and in-store shopping and cash-back via Acorn Rewards. Access to an Employee Assistance Programme, offering 24/7 confidential advice and support for various personal and work-related issues. Pension benefits through NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) after three months of employment, with contributions from both the worker and Acorn by Synergie.

What type of recruitment does Acorn by Synergie do?

Who do Acorn by Synergie work with?

Is Acorn a member of any accredited body or organisation?

What are Acorn by Synergie's pay rates?

What are the additional benefits of working for Acorn by Synergie?

To put our clients and candidates at the centre. Putting our clients and candidates at the centre of everything we do is imperative – every decision you make should consider how it will impact the customer experience. We want to ensure we understand our customers and strive to continually increase customer satisfaction rates.

Take responsibility for your actions and stand by your promises. Accountability is about ownership and initiative. Be responsible for your actions, behaviours and decisions and take pride in what you do.

We want to create a culture of teamwork, collaboration and helping each other. In order to achieve this, it's important to communicate clearly and openly with colleagues, candidates and clients.

For each other, our communities, and our environment. Treat people how you’d like to be treated and use empathy and patience – think before you act considering body language, tone of voice and expression. Treat all people equally to encourage inclusiveness and avoid discrimination. Be mindful of our social, economic, and environmental impact.

You will be given the tools, training, and support to be able to make decisions and take actions, in line with company goals and values. Autonomy and responsibility will encourage creativity and continuous improvement.

Customer First

Accountability &amp; integrity

Effective communication

Respect

Empowerment

Acorn by Synergie provides specialist permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions across the UK. We are part of a global recruitment company - Synergie, who operates in 17 countries around the world. 

Recruitment can be a huge drain on time and resource, which is why companies choose to use Acorn by Synergie for an honest and reliable service with effective results. With our experience, recruitment process we will save you valuable time and money, attract the right people, increase the reach of your roles and support the growth of your company.

At Acorn by Synergie, we don’t just employ the best recruitment consultants to support your needs, we employ the best consultants with experience of working within the industry. As a result, we know that we can truly offer a recruitment service that understands you and your company’s daily resource pressure and identified people who will truly fit within your business. That’s why 98% of our clients say we understand the industries and environments they work within. 

We pride ourselves in keeping up-to-date with the newest technologies.

Acorn by Synergie +, is a new service we offer our clients which allows you the flexibility of having real time management information at your fingertips 24/7. A completely bespoke dashboard where you can manage all your workforce KPI’s in one place. 

We have just launched a new service called Acorn by Synergie PROXI. An on-site recruitment solution offering you the client a number of different levels of service depending on you specific  requirements. 

Who is Acorn By Synergie ? 

What can we do for you? 

What makes us different? 

How do you add value?

What additional services do we offer? 

What's new? 

Established in 1992, we have over 30 years’ experience across the sectors that we operate in. We have in excess of 30 branches, offices and on-site locations in the UK alone, and are part of Synergie Group who operate globally in 17 countries. Here in the UK, we have over 160 employees and have a turnover in excess of 100M.

We offer a range of bespoke services tailored to your needs: <ol>Dual branded collateral and campaigns</ol><ol>Proven candidate attraction campaigns </ol><ol> Successful retention techniques </ol><ol>State of the art technology </ol><ol> Highly experienced implementation team</ol><ol> In-house award-winning marketing team</ol><ol> Quality &amp; Compliance Department </ol><ol> A collaborative partnership approach</ol><ol> Recruitment with integrity guaranteed</ol>

S&amp;You Specialist Recruitment is a division of Acorn by Synergie, a top recruitment agency in the UK, supported by the global Synergie Group. This division focuses on high-level recruitment, including executive search, board-level positions, senior commercial roles, and specialised technology jobs in areas like AI, automation, cyber security, and data. Their goal is to match exceptional leaders and tech experts with leading companies. For more information, visit their website at sandyou.co.uk.

Harnessing tomorrow’s technology - we offer a suite of software solutions to fit your business needs. Acorn By Synergie Plus offers an MI real time reporting system, which enables you the client access to a bespoke dashboard and KPI tracker. Understanding the talent landscape and utilising the most up-to date technology is key to our success. We have invested in market leading talent analytics tool, Horsefly. This provides us with real time worker insights, allowing us together, to recruit the talented individuals you require.

You can have complete confidence in us, as your specialist recruitment partner. The quality of the recruitment solutions we provide are essential and that’s why we are dedicated to achieving highly reputable industry recognised Accreditations and Awards to acknowledge and represent the professional standards we meet and exceed through our services, internal process and people.

Experience &amp; Scale 

What we offer

S&amp;You Specialist Recruitment

Innovation &amp; Insights 

Quality, Compliance &amp; Accreditations 

As an Agency Worker, you will be offered Acorn Rewards. An online platform and app which gives you access to thousands of fantastic deals to save money on your everyday shopping and more!

When you start your temporary assignment, if you have any concerns, your Acorn Representative will be available to answer your questions around the clock. You will be provided with the 24/7 service contact details.

Through Acorn Rewards, you will have opportunities to take part in regular competitions and lottery draws.

As a leading recruitment specialist, we have a great deal of experience in all types of recruitment, so will always be on hand to give you the advice and guidance you need to succeed in your job search. When working with Acorn by Synergie, we make it our business to listen and will match you with the best job opportunities.. We will ensure that the communication, support, and service you are given is of the highest level.

Acorn by Synergie places agency workers into assignments with approximately 850 different client companies across the UK within various different sectors including; commercial, industrial, technical, steel, construction, rail, driving, food processing and more.

Acorn by Synergie uses NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) as its pension provider. Subject to qualifying eligibility criteria, you will be automatically enrolled as a member of this scheme after you have worked for Acorn for three months. If you wish to opt-out of the scheme, you must follow the instructions provided to you by NEST shortly after your enrolment. You will be required to make a weekly contribution to your pension and we will make a contribution too.

An Employee Assistance Programme which offers 24/7 access to confidential advice and support to help you if you are experiencing any problems relating to: money, family, bereavement, stress, addiction etc.

An online portal where you can view payslips, P60’s and other pay-related information.

Online platform and app for easy access

24/7 service

Regular competitions and lottery draws

Passionate consultants who match you to the best possible job

Access to hundreds of companies we work with

Contributory pension scheme

An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Online access to your payslips and more

Our history

Through Acorn Impact, we are committed to creating positive social, economic, and environmental impacts within our communities UK-wide.

Acorn Impact

At Acorn by Synergie, EDI is very important to us; both as an employer and a recruitment business. Find out more.

Values and EDI

Our vision is to challenge norms and enhance the lives of all those we come into contact with by placing diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. We’re leaders in our industry, and we're always looking for talented people to join us and contribute to our success. With big plans to expand and grow, Acorn is an exciting place to be — so if you’re hardworking, entrepreneurial and passionate, we want to talk to you.

<h3>Our vision</h3>

At Acorn by Synergie, we believe that there’s more to recruitment than just filling vacancies. We recruit with integrity. 

Acorn's Board of Directors and Senior Management Team are all experts in their field, with many qualifications, years’ experience and fellowships to prove it.

Partnerships

With over 20 offices and on-site locations across the UK and internationally, Acorn by Synergie is part of the global recruitment leader, Synergie Group. Our expert consultants specialise in various industries, delivering local recruitment support nationwide with a global reach.

Local. National. Global.

Part of the Synergie Group operating in 17 countries worldwide.A leader in global human resources management — placing 70,000 job seekers into work every week.<ul class="list-lines"><li>€3B turnover</li><li>Over 800 branches</li><li>5,000 employees</li></ul>

Powered with Synergie

While all 5 pillars are vital, our flagship focus for the next three years is Social Mobility. We’re dedicated to helping individuals from challenging or marginalised backgrounds access opportunities to improve their futures. Our pledge is to work towards 10,000 hours of company time dedicated to enhancing social mobility.

Our strategy is built around five key pillars that define how we engage with candidates, clients, suppliers, and the wider communities.

Our 5 Pillars

We are committed to creating positive social, economic, and environmental impacts within our communities UK-wide.

<h3>Introduction</h3>

<h5>Acorn Impact Workshops &amp; Insite Sessions</h5>Acorn Impact Workshops and Insite Sessions offer jobseekers expert advice on re-entering the workforce, with each session focusing on a different sector. At our launch, leading companies like Smiths and Maximus joined a special event highlighting opportunities in manufacturing and production.

<h5>Community Engagement</h5>Through partnerships with organisations like Seetec, Maximus, and Job Centres, we connect underrepresented talent with opportunities, offering workshops, mentoring, and networking events to support career growth.

<h5>Reconstruct Programme</h5>The Reconstruct Programme helps individuals with convictions find employment. In partnership with HMPPS, we work in Welsh prisons and HMP Bristol to prepare individuals for construction roles as they approach the end of their sentence.

<img src="https: cdn.sourceflow.co.uk="" dck01xsw3v4563h7i4rxxysngeuy" alt="Image social mobility example"  width="100%"></img src="https:>Social mobility is the ability for individuals to move up or down the social and economic ladder, regardless of their background. It’s about creating opportunities for everyone to improve their lives based on skills and effort, not their circumstances or family history.

<img src="https: cdn.sourceflow.co.uk="" y6rvs94rzmaohnvdt3j67597ydqc" alt="Example image of why its important"  width="100%"></img src="https:>For the next three years, we’re committed to tackling social mobility because businesses play a crucial role in addressing societal challenges. At Acorn by Synergie, we’re not just connecting talent with opportunities; we’re working to help people from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds access those opportunities too.

Many face barriers to career progression, including: <ul> <li>Lack of career guidance</li> <li>Low confidence</li> <li>Skill gaps</li> <li>Criminal records</li> <li>Disabilities</li> <li>Financial constraints</li> <li>Language barriers</li> <li>Discrimination and unconscious bias</li> </ul>

<img src="https: cdn.sourceflow.co.uk="" eskv2obw3kakkx3dl4t7ko48iy1e" alt="10000 hours of social value"  width="100%"></img src="https:>Through Acorn Impact Workshops, Insite Sessions, and our Reconstruct Programme, we actively promote social mobility. We’re also partnering with new community projects to reach our goal of 10,000 hours of social mobility initiatives.

<img src="https: cdn.sourceflow.co.uk="" 0sskra53ek0z1aclz67fpwm4d1e7" alt="Image of how we help"  width="100%"></img src="https:>Join us in supporting social mobility. We can help with CV workshops, employment access insights, or hands-on guidance to help more people get into work. Or, partner with us on one of our existing initiatives!

What is Social Mobility?

Why are we focusing on this

Barriers to Social Mobility

Our approach

How you can get involved

At Acorn by Synergie, we are passionate about supporting our communities and creating as much social value as we can. People are central to our business, and we want to make a lasting, positive impact on their futures. We have created and been at the heart of many social value initiatives over the years, and we wanted to make a bigger commitment – that’s why we launched Acorn Impact. This is basically a promise to help create meaningful social, economic, and environmental changes across the UK. Through Acorn Impact, we hope to partner and support many different initiatives, and really help to make a difference.

We'll guide you through as quickly as possible so you're one step closer to your next job.

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With over 30 branches and on-site locations spanning the UK, we connect jobseekers and employers through tailored recruitment services.

At Acorn by Synergie, we want to create a positive working environment where you can thrive, and as part of our ongoing commitment to being a people-focused company, we have a wide range of fantastic initiatives and benefits.

The support we provide to all our colleagues, clients and jobseekers is responsive, versatile and effective. Our commitment is based on our core values:

Company Values

Our mission is to make our award-winning workplace the best it  can be. 

<h5>Range of opportunities</h5>We offer a wide range of internal career opportunities across various departments. Whether you're a trainee recruitment consultant just starting your career or an experienced professional, we have roles available through our specialist teams and branch network. Beyond recruitment, we also offer positions in HR, marketing, accounts, payroll, IT, and compliance to support our recruitment operations. With diverse opportunities for career growth, we're committed to nurturing talent and helping employees excel in their chosen fields.

<h5>Health &amp; Wellbeing</h5>We recognise the importance of promoting both mental and physical well-being and supporting employees facing health challenges. In 2023, our commitment to employee wellness was honored with the Wellbeing at Work Award by the Wales Business Awards. We provide a range of support, including the Help@Hand Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a private healthcare scheme, mental health first aiders, a flexible working culture, and more!

<h5>Investors in People</h5> We are proudly accredited as an Investors in People organisation, reflecting its commitment to empowering and supporting its workforce. This prestigious accreditation demonstrates Acorn's dedication to developing its employees, fostering a positive working environment, and promoting professional growth at all levels. This recognition underscores our core belief that investing in our people leads to long-term success for both employees and the business as a whole.

At Acorn by Synergie, we truly value our team, and our enhanced benefits package reflects that. You'll get a minimum of 33 days of holiday, and we even give you your birthday off to celebrate! Depending on your role, you can enjoy a company car or a car allowance, giving you the flexibility to choose what suits you best. We also offer company sick pay, so you can take the time you need to recover without worrying about your finances. Plus, with Acorn Impact, you'll have an additional day off each year to participate in charitable or community causes - because we believe in giving back as a team.

At Acorn by Synergie, we believe in creating a workplace where people can thrive both professionally and personally. We offer a flexible working culture to support a healthy work-life balance, alongside hybrid working and wellbeing policies to give you the freedom to work in a way that suits you. You’ll also get "You Day" and your birthday off as extra time for yourself. Through the OpenBlend platform, we encourage open conversations around mental health and wellbeing, while also providing free eye tests for all employees.

<ul><li>Minimum of 33 days holiday, plus your Birthday off</li><li>Acorn Impact – one day off work each year to participate in a charitable or community cause</li></ul>

<ul><li>Minimum of 33 days holiday, plus your Birthday off</li><li>Company car or car allowance (depending on role)</li></ul>

At Acorn by Synergie, we understand that your well-being matters, both inside and outside of work. That’s why we are committed to promoting positive mental and physical health, and offering meaningful support for anyone experiencing health challenges. Through our Help@Hand Assistance Programme (EAP), you’ll have access to a range of benefits including counseling and remote GP services. For employees with over two years of service, we also offer a private healthcare scheme. We prioritise mental health with dedicated training for managers, ensuring they can provide effective support, and our team includes fully trained Mental Health First Aiders. We are always striving to enhance the support we offer, because your well-being is our priority.

Enhanced packages 

The things that matter

Reward and incentives

Perks of the job

Wellbeing

Our vision is to challenge norms and enhance the lives of all those we come into contact with by placing diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. We’re leaders in our industry, and we're always looking for talented people to join us and contribute to our success. With big plans to expand and grow, Acorn is an exciting place to be.

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Listed in the top 1% of all leading UK recruiters, at Acorn by Synergie we develop careers, grow businesses, fulfil ambitions and change lives.

We believe that there's more to recruitment than just filling vacancies.

Our 30+ branches throughout the UK and specialist division allow us to work with hundreds of UK and international businesses to provide you with the best job opportunities.

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With more than 30+ offices and on-site locations across the UK and internationally, Acorn by Synergie employs expert consultants within specialist industries and is part of the leading global recruitment group, Synergie. We provide local recruitment support on a national level with an international reach.

We're part of the Synergie Group operating in 17 countries worldwide.A leader in global human resources management — placing 70,000 job seekers into work every week.<ul class="list-lines"><li>€3B turnover</li><li>Over 800 branches</li><li>5,000 employees</li></ul>

Acorn by Synergie is within the top 1% of the UK's leading recruitment agencies.

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Listed in the top 1% of all leading UK recruiters, we develop careers, grow businesses, fulfil ambitions and change lives.

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An inclusive recruitment service, free from discrimination and bias. Speak to us if you need any additional support to access our services.

Are you ready to make your next move? 

Do you want to make your CV stand out from the crowd? Read our range of CV writing tips to help you secure your next job role.

CV writing tips

Got a video interview lined-up?  Click here to view our top tips on how to prepare for interview.

Interview guide

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Acorn by Synergie is one of the UK’s leading recruitment companies. We offer permanent, temporary and contract recruitment solutions to employers, supported by a portfolio of training, learning and development solutions. We’re also a member of the Recruitment &amp; Employment Confederation (REC) and ISO 9001:2015 accredited.<ul class="list-lines"><li>Simple and hassle-free online registration.</li><li>We follow the highest ethical &amp; legal standards (REC and SEDEX members, ISO9001 &amp; ISO14001 accredited, Stronger Together Business Partner).</li><li>A dedicated sector specialist consultant.</li></ul>

A recruiter you can trust.

<h3>Structure</h3>
A well-structured CV makes it easier for hiring managers and recruiters to pick out information.
Personal information
<ul>
<li>You&rsquo;ll need to include an email address, phone number and a partial address (e.g. town). It&rsquo;s also a good place to include visa status or security clearance (along with any expiry dates) if relevant. If you have a LinkedIn page, personal website, or GitHub repository then you can also link these in this section to bolster your application.</li>
</ul>
Personal profile
Include a few sentences introducing yourself. Focus firstly on your career goals and history, highlighting key skills and/or certifications (or academic background if you&rsquo;re looking for graduate or entry level roles) and then include a couple of hobbies which can break the ice a little for future interviews. It gives the company an idea of how well you might fit in (for example, a company that has a company football team might be really interested in the fact you play football in your free time).
Skills
Giving an overview of your skills makes it really easy to pick out how well your skillset matches the desired skills for the role, as well as what new skills you might bring to the team. You might want to do this as a graphic including how advanced those skills are, or you might just want to use bullet points. Either way it can be helpful to arrange them into groups, i.e. coding languages, frameworks, databases.
Career history
You&rsquo;ll need to include the company name, your job title, and the date range you were there (MM/YY) and then provide a short summary of your duties, projects you worked on, technologies you used, and professional achievements. Where you have data available to quantify those achievements (i.e. number of users, time, etc.). If you&rsquo;ve changed careers (e.g. worked as an estate agent for 5 years and then as a network engineer for another 5) it&rsquo;s okay to write a couple of sentences summarising your previous experience in the sector you&rsquo;ve left. However, if you&rsquo;re looking for your first IT role following a career change use these roles to highlight transferable skills like time management or communication.
Education
This is the place to talk about any degrees, courses, or certifications that you&rsquo;ve undertaken. If you&rsquo;ve recently completed a degree or training program and are looking to enter the industry then include a few more details, such as modules completed and/or projects worked on, but if you&rsquo;ve got more relevant work experience just the name of the course, provider, and completion date should be sufficient.
<h3>Top Tips</h3>
Most companies use an ATS
A lot of companies use ATS systems to filter CVs using keywords and job boards which hiring managers and recruiters use to find candidates will do the same. If you want to make sure your CV stands out, you need to reuse keywords. These will almost always be related to hard skills, such as a specific coding language, framework, tool, or operating system. This means that you&rsquo;ll want to reuse words relating to your key skills. If you follow the structure above you should have your key skills listed in your personal profile, skills section, and career history and/or education so your CV will feature higher in results, meaning it will be more likely to be reviewed. It also means it can sometimes be helpful to include information you might think is redundant, but while a person should know someone who knows Laravel would also know PHP the ATS won&rsquo;t display a CV which only mentions Laravel to people looking for PHP as a skill.
Length is not&nbsp;that&nbsp;important
There&rsquo;s a lot of advice about keeping CVs to a page, but if you&rsquo;ve been working for a long time or have worked on a large number of projects then it might not be possible to fit your CV comfortably to a page or even two. If your CV is less than a page, then it&rsquo;s quite likely that you&rsquo;re missing some detail and you might want to review it. If you&rsquo;re early in your career and don&rsquo;t have an extensive career history or are looking for your first job you can also include a hobby section and use that to showcase skills you might have gained through that activity, e.g. if you love playing chess you can use that to demonstrate your analytical mindset, or if you&rsquo;re learning French it can show that you enjoy developing your skills and shows initiative even if it&rsquo;s not a required skill for the job you&rsquo;re applying for.
Formatting
Your CV doesn&rsquo;t have to look fancy unless it&rsquo;s particularly relevant to the job (e.g. if you&rsquo;re looking for a UI role it can demonstrate your design skills) but it does need to be well-formatted. You should be able to pick out your name and the different sections at a glance. Avoid using coloured text in the main sections as you want to make sure everything stands out and is easy to read, and choose a font that&rsquo;s very clear (sans serif fonts are particularly good as they&rsquo;re easier to read, particularly for anyone with dyslexia).
Ask for a second opinion
It&rsquo;s always a good idea to ask someone else to review your CV before sending it out as they might catch something you&rsquo;ve missed and can make sure that you&rsquo;ve included everything you need to, and it all makes sense.

CV tips for tech sector

With many companies recruiting via online interviews, here some top tips on how people can stand out from the crowd:
<ul>
<li>Environment: &nbsp;Think about what&rsquo;s in the background of your webcam and try to find a place where there is a blank wall behind you, or create one by taking pictures down. You want the interviewee to have all eyes on you and not be distracted if someone walks past in the background or more interested in your abstract wall art.</li>
<li>Clothes:&nbsp;Dress just like you would for an interview, each industry has different expectations for interview attire but don&rsquo;t relax it just because it&rsquo;s a virtual meeting - &nbsp;first still impressions count.</li>
<li>Platforms: With so many different video platforms around, check well beforehand that you are setup with an account and that the software is downloaded ahead of time. Most platforms offer free accounts you could test with a friend or family member.</li>
<li>Timing: Don&rsquo;t leave it until the last minute to join the video interview. As you would for a face to face interview, arrive on the &nbsp;video call at least five minutes ahead of time.</li>
<li>Sound/Camera: Make sure your tablet/laptop or PC&rsquo;s settings are correct to enable webcam and we suggest using headphones it boosts sound quality and avoids unnecessary background noise and feedback.</li>
<li>Battery life: Are you fully charged? You don&rsquo;t want to get cut off just as you&rsquo;re about to answer that amazing job-winning question.</li>
<li>Preparation: Do just as much interview preparation as you would if you were having a face to face interview. Don&rsquo;t take a casual approach to the interview. This is still an interview. List out the questions you want to ask on a notepad and ensure you have a pen handy to make notes in case you want to ask something else.</li>
<li>Communication: Take your time be clear in your answers and, if you don&rsquo;t understand a question due to quality of connection, it&rsquo;s OK to ask the interviewer to repeat it.</li>
<li>And finally - take is seriously: Although you are having an interview from the comfort of your own home, &nbsp;it is still an interview and you still want that job, so treat it as such.</li>
</ul>

Tips for video interviews

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What are the risk and dangers involved around technology use in recruitment, and what can businesses do to combat the phishers, hackers and other cyber crime? &nbsp;
Mark Standen, Director of Global Technology at&nbsp;S&amp;You Technology, agrees that the use of AI and Automation technology within the recruitment process today is bringing increasing benefits to the onboarding process when hiring new employees. As with all forms of emergent technology employers need to stay mindful of the risks involved, however, as they need do so when introducing any new kinds of systems and services into the workplace today.&nbsp;
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How is AI supporting the recruitment process for employers at the moment?&nbsp;
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From the screening of candidate CVs, to leading background checks and more, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been as seismic within the recruitment sector as it has been in any other industry in recent years. Like teams operating in many other fields, HR professionals are finding a myriad of ways to draw on AI technologies to make the overall systems and processes involved in sourcing the right skills for the job and bringing new employees on board smarter in the process.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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From saving time during the initial candidate engagement process through the use of chatbots to engage with applicants, to rolling out algorithms that can help assess and benchmark candidates for shortlisting purposes, the possibilities to integrate AI with human-led HR strategy are endless. Such is the sophistication of the technology available today, as recruitment consultants we are also now working to provide blended resource solutions to businesses offering a combination of human and machine powered skills to help them complete their own processes in a more efficient, accurate and overall smarter way too.&nbsp;
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Are there risks involved in using AI to aid recruitment processes?&nbsp;
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There is widespread prediction that the use of AI and Automation will only increase and there will be a rise in new job profiles and skills, and further increases in remote and flexible working as a result. There&rsquo;s also expected to be a huge focus on cybersecurity, and the use of ethical and responsible technology solutions, which will continue to prove emergent as the IT sector gathers pace.&nbsp;
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In short, the full impact of AI is complex and still very much unknown, and employers are going to need to keep on top of developments at every turn to ensure the safety of their business and their employees as a result. There are several risks businesses need to be aware of in using AI within recruitment processes but the most immediate and important one is the risk of de-humanisation.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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From both sides, there&rsquo;s going to be an increasing tendency towards losing the human touch when it comes to presenting ourselves as candidates through the use of AI generated application material but also in how businesses interact with and ultimately attract talent too. For example, if your first interview is with an &ldquo;interview bot&rdquo; it could make the candidate experience unnecessarily negative from the get go.&nbsp;
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From here, this gives rise to more serious breaches such as discrimination and bias, and could lead on to the wider risks associated then with phishers and cybercrime too. It&rsquo;s a known fact that using AI technology can make it easier for novice cyber criminals, hackers-for-hire and hacktivists to carry out effective access and information gathering too.&nbsp;
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Relying too heavily on Automated and AI solutions can also unintentionally present bias in the recruitment process, due to the data they are trained on, leading to discrimination against certain groups for example, and keeping the overall process ultimately human-led is therefore a must.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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There is also a risk that some candidates become digitally excluded if they lack access to the level of technology involved in applying for a job and are by default of circumstance disadvantaged from the process of engagement and prospective candidate talent pool.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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How can employers mitigate risk and maximise on the use of AI recruitment technologies?&nbsp;
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Employers looking to successfully start employing AI and Automation technology to help them find the talent and the skills they require first need to understand that it&rsquo;s not going to be a one-off investment. The technology available to support employers in attracting, pooling, screening and interacting with prospective employees is still developing and relatively speaking, the industry is very much still in its infancy.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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To make the most of AI and Automation systems and processes in an ethical, economically sound and above all safe way, therefore, businesses are also going to have to accept and facilitate an ongoing investment in the right training for their own HR teams too. Depending on the size of an organisation and the in-house expertise available, it is also going to be wise for some to seek industry insight and support externally from specialists in the AI field, like the technology team here at Acorn by Synergie for example.&nbsp;
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We are already living in a world where flexibility and digital nomadism is fast becoming the norm, and it almost certainly will become a standard feature of adult&rsquo;s working lives in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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This means that, to protect themselves properly from any risk of reputational damage and the potential for cybercrime brought about as a result, any employers using AI technology need to take a &lsquo;front foot&rsquo; approach to putting the right training and accompanying software in place at the same time.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Practically speaking this could mean integrating ethical and privacy considerations into AI technologies used in onboarding processes, implementing bias detection software alongside them, and protecting any AI technology you&rsquo;re using with data encryption, access control, authentication, lifecycle management restrictions and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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The blurring of lines between the work/life boundaries, expectations when it comes to responsiveness, the need for digital resilience and enhanced collaborations are all happening now and will all need to be facilitated effectively by employers in the future either way.&nbsp;
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The Global Recruiter: Tech Special featuring Mark Standen from S&You

Specialist recruiter S&amp;You has created a new base in Brighton to support its expanding technology division with the ongoing recruitment of elite level talent within the tech sector UK-wide.
 Part of the Acorn by Synergie group, S&amp;You was launched in the UK by the leading recruiter in 2023 as a stand-alone brand focused on specialist recruitment of high calibre talent across all tech industries.
As such, the Brighton team will be working alongside S&amp;You&rsquo;s existing Technology Team based in South Wales, and utilising more than 20 years of IT recruitment expertise in the process, to offer a wide range of IT and technology roles at management and director-level for organisations operating in sectors UK-wide.
Mark Standen is one of the Co-Directors responsible for leading S&amp;You, its strategic vision, and also its Brighton-based technology team alongside James Thompson.
With almost 40 years of combined technology staffing experience between them, the pair are now working together to build a market leading talent and advisory business enhancing the way organisations recruit, using the most up to date AI and Automation technologies and provide a new breed of staffing solution through S&amp;You.
 Mark said: &ldquo;After a period of transition, launching the new brand and a stand-alone team under S&amp;You which is focused on the recruitment of high level talent within the UK technology sector, we are absolutely delighted to have now found a permanent home here in Brighton.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re working with a vast network of talent to enrich the way in which fast moving technology like AI and automation is delivered, into an extensive client portfolio working across a wide variety of industries. A vibrant city with transport links to the UK capital, Brighton is the ideal place for us to work from as we look to achieving more of the same in future.&rdquo;
Originally established by Synergie, S&amp;You has successfully delivered services for over 10 years in 23 countries from Canada to France, and was launched in the UK in May 2023 alongside Acorn by Synergie&rsquo;s already successful executive recruiters as a specialist team of dedicated consultants sourcing exceptional talent for businesses looking for high-level employees on a permanent, temporary, contract and statement to work basis.
 It now takes care of Specialist and Executive Recruitment services aimed at clients operating in accountancy and finance, technology, legal, international and other premium sectors, by gaining an in-depth understanding of the cultural and hiring needs of a wide range of businesses looking for strong applicants at the top of their game professionally.
Bernard Ward, Managing Director at S&amp;You&rsquo;s parent company Acorn by Synergie said: &ldquo;We are absolutely thrilled to see S&amp;You making its way in the UK as a stand-alone brand and rapidly gaining its own reputation as a &lsquo;go to&rsquo; source of high calibre talent across a wide range of industries, and are really excited to be a part of such an established brand globally speaking too.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Leading this transformation is our expert technology division, which claims a wealth of industry experience that continues to prove its worth in sourcing the elite level skills required to support the ongoing transformation of an industry which continues to advance at unprecedented levels.&rdquo;
 For more information on roles and services available through S&amp;You visit www.sandyou.co.uk/specialisms/technology/

S&You Technology expands into the South East

The technology sector is constantly evolving, and staying at the forefront of the rapidly changing landscape requires professionals with a diverse skill set. As new technologies emerge and businesses embrace digital transformation, certain skills are becoming highly sought after. In this blog, we will explore the top in-demand skills in the technology sector, highlighting their importance and potential career opportunities. 1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are revolutionizing industries across the board. From self-driving cars to personalized recommendations, AI and ML are driving innovation and efficiency. Professionals skilled in AI and ML algorithms, data analysis, and deep learning techniques are in high demand. Career opportunities include AI engineer, data scientist, and machine learning specialist. 2. Cybersecurity: As more data is stored and processed digitally, the need for robust cybersecurity measures is paramount. Cyberattacks continue to increase in frequency and sophistication, making cybersecurity skills highly valuable. Professionals proficient in risk assessment, ethical hacking, network security, and incident response are in high demand. Career opportunities include cybersecurity analyst, ethical hacker, and security architect. 3. Cloud Computing: Cloud computing has transformed how businesses manage and store data, offering scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. Skills in cloud computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are in high demand. Professionals with expertise in cloud architecture, deployment, and management have numerous career opportunities, including cloud engineer, cloud architect, and DevOps engineer. 4. Data Science and Analytics: Data has become the lifeblood of businesses, and organizations are increasingly relying on data to make informed decisions. Professionals with skills in data science and analytics, including statistical analysis, data visualization, and predictive modeling, are highly sought after. Career opportunities include data scientist, data analyst, and business intelligence analyst. 5. Full Stack Development: Full stack developers, proficient in both front-end and back-end development, are in high demand. With the rise of web applications and mobile development, organizations seek professionals who can seamlessly work across multiple technologies. Skills in languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks such as React, Angular, or Node.js, are essential. Career opportunities include full stack developer, web developer, and software engineer. 6. Internet of Things (IoT): The Internet of Things refers to the interconnectivity of everyday objects, enabling them to collect and exchange data. IoT skills are increasingly important in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Professionals with expertise in IoT architecture, sensor integration, and data analytics are in high demand. Career opportunities include IoT architect, IoT developer, and IoT solutions engineer. Conclusion: As the technology sector continues to evolve, professionals with the right skills will find themselves in high demand. Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data science and analytics, full stack development, and IoT are just a few areas where skills are highly sought after. By acquiring and honing these skills, individuals can position themselves for exciting and rewarding careers in the ever-growing technology sector.