Celebrating 50 Years of Recruitment in Colchester Newsletter

TOP JOB

Colchester’s Leading Independent Recruitment Agency

Half-century for Top Job!

TopJob Recruitment has been bringing the right staff to the right place at the right time at the right rate to all of our clients for an amazing 50 years.

We’ve grown considerably over the last half-century, particularly in more recent years, recruiting in a wider range of sectors and with a larger number of recruiters in our teams. Here’s our story so far.

England’s oldest recorded town Colchester has a rich history, being England’s oldest recorded town and, of course, once our nation’s capital, and Top Job is proud to be a more recent part of it. Top Job’s newest home, North Hill, has served as one of the main access routes into Colchester’s town centre via North Gate for hundreds of years.

50 years of history in a nutshell Back in 1972, Top Job Recruitment was born and took up residence in an office in Colchester’s Eld Lane. The founder Kathy Ovens, along with her colleagues, worked tirelessly to establish Tob Job as a name that would be known and loved across Colchester. The small company grew and moved offices into the High Street, where the agency’s name became synonymous with finding work in North Essex. Even now, we still hear stories of collecting brown paper wage packets from Kathy at the end of the week — what a different world!

Time passed, the team grew, and Kathy’s herculean efforts over four decades meant that Top Job was ready for its next chapter of growth, moving into a fruitful partnership with local business owners Marc and Jameson Smith in 2011. A new office in Manor Road saw the team grow again, and with Kathy’s consultation and continued support it thrived. With other outside commitments, Kathy decided to focus on permanent roles only and let others in the business take on more responsibility. The agency grew again, relocating to Church Street, Colchester’s cultural area, and benefited from passing trade of folk walking to and from St Mary’s into town.

The word spread and Top Job became a force to be reckoned with in driving, industrial and commercial roles. With unprecedented amounts of candidates and jobs, modernisation was required. Marc, more involved than ever, had a vision for a recruitment business driven by new technology to benefit the candidate and the customer. Preferring a more traditional approach and after an amazing 46 years, Kathy and some of her old Top Job colleagues decided to part ways in 2018.

The 50th anniversary has been a landmark year for Top Job. In its strongest position yet, with more new clients and candidates, it needed more space for its consultants and a welcoming space for visitors. The move to 40 North Hill was brave, decent, and imaginative. Providing a happy place to work, along with new jobs for Colchester. Marked by a grand opening with the Mayor of Colchester, Top Job transitioned to a brand new era of leadership, teamwork and growth.

Move to North Hill

Moving from Church Street to North Hill earlier this year secures Top Job’s longterm commitment to Colchester and the surrounding area. The new office on North Hill combines the best of old and new. Stripping the building, designing and restoring it sympathetically from scratch, with Top Job’s unique style, provides a more welcoming and personal environment with larger purposebuilt meeting rooms for employees, candidates, and clients. For the first time, Top Job has a reception area to welcome visitors and a dedicated space for video interviews and meetings.

Top Job today

Top Job offers recruitment services with highly professional and experienced experts in a range of different sectors, including Commercial, Industrial, Social Care, Healthcare, Health & Beauty, Transport & Logistics, Public Sector, IT, Sales, Construction, Hospitality, Office, Education, Retail, Technical, Engineering and Finance. Each client and candidate is offered a highly personal service, to meet their goals as fast as possible and with the best results.

Top Job lives by its brand values, providing a top-quality service with integrity, fun and innovation. Top Job looks forward to continuing its exciting journey serving the businesses and people of Colchester and its surrounding area. Who knows, maybe for another 50 years…

Celebrating

Anna-Mariia secures job, after move from Ukraine

CANDIDATE STORY

Top Job recently placed Anna-Mariia and her husband, Andrii, in jobs after they arrived in the UK from Ukraine. Anna-Mariia has kindly shared their story with us.

When and how did you come to the UK?

I came to the UK in July 2022 with my husband. Before that I was living in Lviv in Western Ukraine. With the outbreak of the war earlier this year and rocket shelling close by, my husband and I made the difficult decision to relocate. At first we thought about Poland, but as my husband had worked as a bus driver on a route to Krakow, restrictions made it difficult for us to get refugee status there. As I had been working as an English teacher, we decided our next option was to move to an English speaking country. We heard about the UK government scheme, ‘Homes for Ukraine’, applied and came by car. It was not an easy journey.

We’ve had to leave behind family as our parents can’t leave our grandparents — which has been difficult, but thankfully technology has made it easier to be in regular contact with them.

What type of work did you do in Ukraine?

I taught English in IT companies and my husband was a coach driver.

What were your first impressions of the UK?

On Facebook, we found people happy to help in the Colchester area. We contacted them and then made the application.

We share a home with a family who are adorable. We arrived at Harwich by car so it was not far to travel to Colchester.

It is lovely to be here and everyone is friendly. And it has been good to find jobs so quickly.

How did you find Top Job in Colchester?

While we were in town we called into the Top Job office after we googled ‘recruitment in Colchester’. We saw that the reviews for Top Job were very good. I got an interview very quickly at Towergate Insurance. Everything went well but I was nervous as it was my first interview! Chloe (Innes-Smith) on the Commercial desk at Top Job called within two days to say that I had got the job. We thought Andrii would find work as a bus driver, but our driving licences are only valid for personal use in the UK. Andrii wanted to take the test for a commercial driving licence but you have to be resident here for six months before you can do that. So we asked Top Job if there

was any work that they could offer Andrii and within a couple of days he received a call from Chloe (Stephenson) on the Industrial desk to be offered a picker and packer position in a warehouse.

What are your current jobs?

I’m now a Customer Adviser at Towergate Insurance, advising customers on property policies and have a 12 month contract. My husband’s English is not as strong as mine, but Top Job found Andrii a job in Colchester in the Bulk warehouse, picking and packing health and sports supplements for customer orders. It is a temporary position and he has already worked three weeks. He says the atmosphere is nice and friendly, and his English is improving massively.

What was your experience of working with Top Job?

Just amazing! Many, many thanks to Top Job. I’m so happy to have been in touch with them and have shared Top Job with my acquaintances. At first, we tried using other recruitment websites but the service was no comparison to Top Job’s very personal service. I’d 100% recommend Top Job.

dear Sasha Sasha FowlerHave a question? Write to Sasha; sasha@topjobrecruitment.com

Dear Sasha

I have an interview next week for an Operations Administrator at a large corporate firm in London. The interview consists of three stages. So far, I have passed the online assessment and telephone interview, but I am nervous about the face-toface interview. Are there any tips you could give me to ensure I am fully prepared?

Dear Hannah, Congratulations on securing a face-to-face interview! That’s a great achievement, and you should be

proud of yourself for passing the first two stages. It can be daunting having a face-to-face interview. However, preparation is key — the more you do, the more confident you will feel. Presentation is important as it’s the first impression you give. On the day, give yourself enough time to get ready — dressing smartly and arriving early. Ensure you have done as much research on the role and company as possible, and bring along some notes to refer to. The STAR technique is a great way to structure your answers, and we also have a great guide on our website on how to answer interview questions.

Check this out: www.topjobrecruitment.com/ interview-tips

The main piece of advice I would give is just to be yourself. You want the employer to offer you the role because you are what they are looking for, and it has to be the right fit for both parties. I wish you the best of luck in your interview. Please keep me updated on how you get on, and remember to always ask for feedback a few days after the interview, as whatever the outcome, it’s great for your selfdevelopment!

Single

Artist

As It Was Harry Styles

Peru

Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran

Bad Habits Ed Sheeran

Go Cat Burns

Shivers Ed Sheeran

Running Up That Hill

Waves

Where Are You Now

Bush

Animals

Frequencies/Calum Scott

We Don’t Talk About Bruno Gaitan/Castillo/Adassa/Feliz

Seventeen Going Under Sam Fender

Source: www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-top-40-biggest-songs-of-2022-so-far__35660

Sport

New Head Coach for U’s

Colchester United has recently announced the appointment of Matt Bloomfield as head coach following the departure of Wayne Brown in September. Following a poor start to the season, chairman Robbie Cowling has said the club needed to act swiftly, thanking Brown for his hard work and contribution and acknowledging the good squad Brown has built for his successor.

LOOKING FOR A JOB?

BUSINESSES NEEDED

After

Source: www.cu-fc.com

Recruitment outlook: Over one million vacancies!

Over recent years the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for recruitment businesses to keep as up-to-date as possible with changing labour market conditions so they can provide the strategic consultation that clients need and deserve. Employers and candidates have had to adapt rapidly to restrictions over the pandemic, leaving some sectors with a larger surplus of employees and others short. With the easing of post-pandemic restrictions, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has reported that employer confidence growth is slowing, with some economic uncertainty for the year to come. These uncertainties include the impact of the full extent of the cost of living crisis, long-running skills shortages (compounded already by the pandemic and Brexit) and businesses facing rising inflation, tax and energy prices. The REC is campaigning for the government to work with employers and the recruitment industry to invest in people and close the skills gap.

Latest vacancies in the UK have been reported at 1,274,400 (May-Jul 2022). Despite a fall of 19,800 from the previous period, this was 478,800 above pre-pandemic levels (Jan-Mar 2020). Source: REC

Jack Slater

Leading Independent Recruitment Agency

dear Sasha with Sasha Fowler

a question? Write to Sasha;

North Hill, Colchester, Essex CO1 1PY

Dear Sasha

I have been looking for a new opportunity for a while as I feel like I am at a bit of a stumbling block after six years with my current employer, as there is no opportunity to progress within the business. I have been offered a new role elsewhere, but when I handed in my notice, my employer decided to make a counteroffer of a significant pay rise. What should I do?

Dear Harry,

Although it may seem like a difficult situation, it’s great to know you are valued highly by your current employer. You need to investigate further and then weigh up your options. You said that there is no opportunity to progress with your current employer — although they have offered you a pay rise, will you find yourself in the same situation a few months later? If you haven’t already, discuss with your existing employer to fully explore your future career path to find out if there are

any possibilities. If the new company offers the opportunity to progress and earn a higher salary in the future, this may be your opportunity to build up your career. Many people are scared to make the change as they are comfortable with what they know, but taking the leap often leads to even greater opportunities. If you ask the same questions to both your existing employer and new offer potential employer, you can make the right decision.

University searches for mastermind

The search for a mastermind took place at the University of Essex with a recording

singles

of the BBC television quiz programme Mastermind hosted by Magnus Magnusson.

Single Artist

Without You

Grace

Love

Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)

Old Dough

Ding-A-Ling

& Drums & the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard

Osmond

New Seekers

Pigeon

miners went on strike causing disruption including power cuts, and UK unemployment rose to one million for the first time since 1947. Prime Minister Edward Heath signed the treaty taking the UK into the European Economic Community, now the European Union. On 28 May, the Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, died at his home in Paris. The funeral was held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Thousands of mourners filed past his coffin.

in

Football: Shock resignation of Colchester United Manager

Appointed in the summer of 1968 and after a remarkable reign but more recent lack of form, Colchester United’s manager Dick Graham stunned fans with a shock resignation at the shareholder’s meeting at the

Big win for Mary

The Northern Irish athlete, Mary Peters, was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

George Hotel in 1972. United could find no joy in a match with an action-packed finale, with the final score United 1, Newport County 3.

Source: www.cu-fc.com

Hockey Result: Colchester Ladies 4, Bury 1

It has been wonderful to see Colchester Ladies make a strong start compared to Bury’s vulnerable defence. Goals scored by Marilyn Hunt (3) and Jane Cowling (1).

back in 1972

Leeds win cup, Derby take league

Leeds United beat Arsenal to win the FA Cup while Derby County won the Football League.

Turntables up and down the country were listening to the likes of Donny Osmond, T. Rex and Don McLean. While on television Emmerdale Farm, the long-running soap set in the Yorkshire Dales made its debut.

The first in a series of films about the Corleone mafia family, ‘The Godfather’ was showing at the cinema.

Consumer Tastes

The best-selling car of 1972 was the Ford Cortina MkIII and the most popular foreign holiday destination was Spain. Pocket calculators went on sale for the first time in the UK.

LAUNDRYWOMENNEED A CHAT?

Talk with the recruitment specialists at Top Job on

JOKES

Why did the elephant get rejected for a job?

His qualifications were completely irrelephant.

What is the most common job amongst spiders?

Web designer.

Why did the scarecrow get the job?

He was outstanding in his field.

And why did the koala get the job?

She had all the necessary koalafications.

Why did the Invisible Man turn down the job offer?

He couldn’t see himself doing it!

Why did the recruiter cross the road?

To recruit a turkey, he knew it would accept a poultry salary!

Employer: Why do you think you would be a good waiter?

Candidate: You could say I bring a lot to the table…

Interviewer: How well do you perform under pressure?

Candidate: Not bad, but I do a great Bohemian Rhapsody.

Interviewer: How would you describe yourself?

Candidate: Verbally, but I’ve also prepared a dance.

back in 1972 £150PER MONTH

BE THE ENVY OF YOUR NEIGHBOURS! BUY THIS CAR AND LOOK THE PART

Required

Full-time £15.08 for 5-day week or £0.377 per hour. Bonus scheme. Apply to Laundry Manager.

A RELIEF DRIVER/LOADER

Wage £20 per week plus bonus

Must have HGV License Class 3

A 5-day 40-hour week is worked.

Crossword

Answers on reverse

Across

Resume of an individual’s employment, education and skills (10, 5)

Permanent or temporary legal agreement of employment (8)

Formal recommendation (9)

Top Job’s new home (5, 4)

Down

applying for a job (9)

Britain’s oldest recorded town (10)

Best recruitment agency in Colchester for the last 50 years (3, 3)

Face to face or online meeting to determine suitability for a job role (9)

opening (7)