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There are countless reasons as to why there might be a gap in your employment on your CV, but it’s important you address a gap head on with any potential employer. Here’s how.

Always be honest. Depending on the situation depends on how much information you need to provide, but honesty is always the best policy, if you have to declare a gap in your employment.

Tailor your CV. Was the gap in your employment more than 10 years ago? Typically only your last 10 years of experience are relevant when job searching, so if the gap in your employment was many years ago, it may no longer be relevant to include on your CV.

Positivity is key. Make gaps in your CV a positive thing – If you find yourself out of work for a short period, use the time to take courses or assess your career path. Using the time wisely will be beneficial to you in the long run.

Be ready for questions. If you secure an interview, be prepared to answer questions about a gap in your CV, and find a positive way to address it.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how FS1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com

Social media continues to be a vital way for companies and organisations to engage with their customers. But how can you make sure your social media stands out from the crowd?

Less text the better. It’s video and picture content that grabs people’s attention when it comes to social media, not text. Keep your text short and to the point, giving your customer the context they need to enjoy your content.

Social media is great for sharing testimonial content. Your customers want to know why they should choose you. Using your social media channels to showcase your testimonials is a great way to show potential customers that people love your brand.

Make a competition of it! Give people a reason to engage with your channel – using competitions and giveaways to build your online presence is hugely effective and a great way to build customer loyalty.

Get into hashtags. Use the right hashtags for your content to encourage people to come to your channels and start engaging further.

For more information about our current social media and digital vacancies, or to find out how Fs1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com

It’s not often a situation most people come across, but from time to time job seekers might find themselves considering a return to a former employer. Is this ever a good idea? And how should you manage the situation?

Is it possible? We’d always recommend you leave any employer on good terms, and this is why. If you are considering a return to a former employer, you must have left without burning any bridges. If you left due to a family matter, career progression, relocation or education, there’s no reason why you can’t introduce yourself again.

Do your research. Things may have changed – or they may not have. It’s worth researching the organisation for information as if they were a new potential employer. Think of your experience with your former employer; sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, sometimes not.

What about your network? Has anyone else returned to the organisation that you know? Are there people still working there that you used to work with? Talk to them to find out more about the current situation.

Your return might be different. Be prepared for the fact that you could return to an employer without the same benefits you enjoyed previously. But equally, the benefits package might have improved since you left!

Returning to a former employer is an important decision, so take your time to do so!

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how FS1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that digital is at the heart of anything and all things marketing and creative. In an increasingly digital work, something traditional like a brochure can also now be hosted online. But what are the benefits of a digital brochure specifically?

You’ve changed something? No problem. A digital brochure means that if you ever have a product or price change you can easily and quickly update your brochure. No more waiting until the next brochure is printed!

 It’s good for the environment. We’re all thinking about the big and small ways we can help heal our planet, and this is just one of them – a digital brochure means you’re using less paper and resources to promote your goods.

Shareability. Sharing a print brochure can be costly and difficult – your online brochure is easily shared via email and social media by just a click of a button.

So why wait? Why not start building your digital brochure today?

For more information about our latest marketing and creative roles, contact FS1 on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

Over the last few years we’ve all seen the rise of artificial intelligence in every aspect of our lives. Should marketers ben worried that one day soon they’ll be replaced by a computer? Absolutely not! Marketers should embrace AI – here’s why.

AI allows marketers to focus on strategy. With AI increasingly being able to create new content marketers can focus their time on development of their overall strategy, which is incredibly important in an increasingly saturated market.

Get into AI. AI doesn’t need a specific specialist to manage it, it should be a part of your marketing strategy from start to finish. So get involved! Staying open to learning about new technology and platforms is vital for any and every marketer.

People skills remain king. Yes, AI can provide capacity for content creation – but it can’t replace human interaction. People skills are still very much required for an effective workspace. Customers and clients will still want to engage with the person behind the technology.

For more information about our latest marketing and digital roles, or to find out how FS1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

We all know equality is important in today’s society – but why does it matter in the workplace? We spend a lot of our time working and as such it’s vital that our working environment reflects our community – equal and diverse. But why is it so important and what can we do to encourage equality and diversity?

Equality is about ensuring everyone has an opportunity to make the most of their lives and showcase their talents. It’s also about making sure than anyone regardless of their upbringing and circumstances of their birth can achieve their full potential.

The Equality Act of 2010 stops any and all employers from discriminating against anyone in the workplace. HR plays a vital role in making sure the act is well enforced in all work environments.

Equality is important because we want our working environments to reflect the diverse community we live in and provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds to thrive. Organisations should make sure that diversity and inclusion are top priorities and should foster a culture of openness and transparency to ensure anyone who has concerns can speak out.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how FS1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

The purpose of a CV is to detail your skills and experiences to a potential new employer, however, giving more information about your character and interests can also better your chances of securing an interview if done correctly. So how can you effectively add a little extra to your CV?

Are you sporty? Being part of a sports team shows you work well with other people and have real commitment and dedication.

Is music and theatre your thing? Perhaps you’re a bit of a thespian in your spare time – if so, this kind of interest demonstrates your confidence and creativity, which are both great qualities to a new employer.

Are you a volunteer? Volunteering and fundraising in your spare time for a good cause shows your passion and commitment to both yourself and others.

Are you speaking my language? The dedication you’ve taken to learning a new language will stand out to employers.

It’s clear your extra – curricular activities can make all the difference to your job search – so stand out from the crowd and show off your extra skillsets!

For more information about our current vacancies, or to find out how Fs1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

Logo design can be tough. And getting a logo design right is very important; a good logo can make all the difference to your brand identity. So how can you get some inspiration for your next logo design?

Cast your net wide. Don’t just think about previously popular logos and why they worked; think about wider art and design and why it appeals to you and others. What are the elements that make it so appealing? How might that inform the design of your logo?

Think about the past and the future. What sort of journey has your organisation or your client been on to get to where they are now? Where are they going in the future? Looking back to the beginnings of an organisation could provide the inspiration you need to design a truly relevant logo.

Start doodling! Play with doodles and pictures to see what cuts through. Don’t overthink it – just let your creativity flow!

What do you think makes a good logo design?

For more information about our current design and creative vacancies, or to find out how Fs1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

Job searching can be tough sometimes. Often there’s a lot of competition, and sometimes job seekers are unfortunately left confused and frustrated. So what are the biggest job seeking frustrations, and how can you overcome them?

Experience? Job seekers looking for their first job or those looking to change careers can sometimes feel that they need experience, to get experience! Our solution? Consider volunteer work or temporary work to gain some career experience, and apply again!

The competition. Sometimes companies will have hundreds of applicants for a vacancy and job seekers can sometimes feel that the personal touch is taken out of the recruiting process, as well as feeling they don’t stand a chance. Job seekers should consider what makes them unique and how their skills match the job role – You should tailor your CV to a job description as much as possible. By doing so you’re much more likely to get a response.

No feedback? If there are a number of applicants, job seekers may find that feedback is slow or non-existent. There’s no reason, however, why job seekers can’t ask for feedback! If you don’t hear anything following an interview, there could be a logical explanation – contact the hiring manager and ask.

For more information about our current vacancies, or to find out how Fs1 can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.

The dominance of social media continues to grow year on year. Increasingly we’re seeing more and more smaller businesses engaging on social networks to build relationships with consumers – and here’s why it’s so important to properly invest in paid social media advertising.

Social media is now dominated by advertising. Gone are the days when it was just enough to get your name out there organically – a fully costed social media strategy is vital.

The good news is it’s affordable. Social media advertising suits any budget big or small, making it accessible for everyone. You set your own budget and spend what you can afford.

It’s a targeted approach. Social media advertising allows you to properly target your audience with content that will inspire, rather than the blanket approach of more traditional types of advertising.

It’s getting easier. As more people start to engage with social media advertising, the platforms for placing adverts are becoming more user friendly – what was once a medium only for specialists is becoming more accessible for smaller organisations.

For more information about our latest social media and advertising vacancies, or to find out how FS1 Recruitment can support your business, contact us on 01908 787 560 or hello@fs1recruitment.com.