From Director of BrightSide Executive Search, Amber King
As a director of a specialist recruitment firm I have been getting calls daily from clients and candidates.
While hotels, restaurants and cafes have closed for the foreseeable future dramatically affecting those who sell into the on-premise channel, our clients servicing the retail sector have seen a surge in sales.
Business channels are shifting and adapting and many clients are redefining their business proposition, product offering and consumer. As a result, many professionals are being forced to seek roles in different industries, to repurpose their skillset or to completely rethink their career path.
Some of the industries that are experiencing a spike in demand include grocery, food and liquor retailers and FMCG. Employers are still hiring but candidates need to be flexible, agile and open minded about the type of work they apply for during this period. Job ads are down so it’s increasingly important to draw on established networks to gain a competitive advantage.
Our advice to candidates is to structure and customise your CV for each role. Highlight specific skills and experience that directly aligns to the job you’re applying for. Be tailored, use relevant language and achievements to ensure you stand out. We know that many of the larger employers are now using artificial intelligence and automation for hiring so it’s important to include specific keywords for algorithms to identify, therefore increasing your chance of getting a virtual interview.
With the ongoing social isolation most interviews are now being done remotely on tools such as Zoom. We are advising our candidates to dress as you would for a normal interview, set up in a clean space where you won’t be interrupted and to make sure you have tested your technology prior to the interview! All pretty obvious but important nevertheless…
For all things sales and marketing recruitment in Beverages and FMCG, contact us.