Tag Archives: Recruitment

Jan 12 2021
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Video Call Interview Hints & Tips

When lockdown began in March 2020, Gekko made the decision to move all of our face to face interviews over to video interviews. This meant we could keep everyone safe while searching for some fantastic people to join our vibrant team. 

It looks as if video call interviews will be the way forward for the time being and Gekko will not be the only company adapting their interview process.

We chatted to our Recruitment Manager and put together  some simple hints and tips for preparing for video interviews and landing that dream job in 2021;

  1. Testing, testing…1,2,3

You should be advised prior to the interview of the platform that will be used for your interview so make sure you are familiar with how it works and download any apps if required. 

You could always ask a friend or family member to do a test run with you so you can check your audio and webcam in advance. On the day, make sure your device is well charged and connected to a strong wifi connection to avoid disruption. 

  1. Pick the perfect location 

Think about your positioning at home for the interview, you wouldn’t take a family photo with you to a face to face interview so do you want them on display in the background? 

Where possible, place yourself against a plain background with no reflections from windows, make sure where you are sitting is comfortable so you don’t fidget and ensure the area is quiet with no distractions or interruptions. 

  1. Dress accordingly 

You might be sitting on the sofa for the interview, but it is still an interview and your opportunity to make that first impression as professional as possible. 

Dress as you would if you were to attend the interview face to face but also think about how your clothes may look on the screen – it is best to avoid busy patterns. 

  1. Try not to fidget

It can sometimes be hard to engage with your interviewer when you are not in a face to face setting so your body language is really important. Be comfortable, but don’t slouch, try not to fidget or touch your face too much. 

Listen and respond to the questions clearly, don’t rush your responses in case there is a slight delay. 

  1. Be prepared

Prepare yourself as you would for any interview; do research on the company, ensure you understand the role you are applying for, have a copy of your application or CV in front of you and have some questions ready. 

There are some plus points to video interviews so take advantage of them: have post it notes stuck to your screen or make yourself flash cards about the company and the role. 

We hope the hints and tips from our Recruitment Manager help you prepare for upcoming video interviews and allow you to give out the best first impression possible. 

Technology may work against you meaning not every interview goes smoothly but we would also like to remind you to be kind to yourself while adapting to changes. The company will understand if you have technical issues just ensure you give the company enough time to rearrange the interview or plan another option.

You are doing the best you can, keep it up and Good Luck!

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Oct 16 2020
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Gekko’s Top 5 CV Tips

The outbreak of Covid 19 has seen so many changes in how companies are recruiting and the competition for positions is ever increasing. If you’re a job seeker, we’d like to share a few tips with you on how you can best prepare yourself for this and also how to make your CV and application stand out.

According to the Office of National Statistics, the number of vacancies in retail, hospitality and the information and communication industries reached an all time low between March and May 2020. Some industries are recruiting again but the number of applicants per role is also increasing meaning that competition is fierce.

We’d like to share our top 5 tips on updating your CV straight from our Recruitment Manager.

  1. Keep it brief 

Your CV should be clear, concise and informative but doesn’t need to be any longer than 2 sides of A4.  Please don’t waffle or feel the need to write more!

  1. Update it (and don’t tell fibs!)

It’s really important to make sure the information on your CV is updated but also correct. Ensure your contact details are correct and that your CV shows your current/most recent situation but most importantly, don’t fib – there’s nothing worse than being caught out during an interview about something on your CV that’s not quite true so do yourself a favour and don’t put yourself in that situation. 

  1. Stand out from the crowd

It’s a tough market out there, now more than ever. Employers see so many CVs each day, make yours unique to you. This doesn’t mean it has to be super snazzy with all the colours of the rainbow but try to express yourself through your CV. 

  1. Make it relevant

If you’re applying for different roles in a variety of industry sectors, think about adapting your CV and communication to recruiters accordingly. We don’t mean stretching the truth but making everything just a little more relevant gives the impression that you’re genuinely interested in a specific job rather than applying a scattergun approach to job hunting.

  1. Proof read…proof read…proof read!

Don’t just check your CV for spelling and grammatical errors but also make sure that it reads well, and there’s nothing missing. Sometimes it helps for someone else to take a glance over it too, they might see something you haven’t.

We have roles available from our Head Office in Newbury to our Field Teams that are based throughout the UK. If you are interested in joining the Gekko team please visit our website for more information on the roles we have available.

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Jul 22 2020
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Gekko expands with key senior appointments

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Gekko, a field and retail marketing agency specialised in enhancing the shopper journey on behalf of brands across both the physical and digital retail space, has made four key appointments as it invests in new initiatives to drive growth for the business and clients and reflect the current retail landscape.

Jeremy Daniels has joined as a senior Account Director for the business where he is responsible for directing and expanding the agency’s strategic partnerships with key clients. With a wealth of experience in the Telco sector, Jeremy brings not only industry knowledge and commercial acumen but also the drive to spot and maximise sales opportunities. His most recent role was managing the UK launch of Xiaomi into key retailers as well as the distribution channel. Previous roles have been at LG Mobile, ModeLabs and Kondor. 

Coming from Oppo Mobile, Wilkin Lee joins as Client Services Director to oversee all strategic client relationships. Recruited for his tech industry experience and understanding of the retailer landscape, Wilkin will ensure that as the business grows, that clients continue to receive the strategic support and commercial direction they need to succeed in retail both online and in stores.  Aside from Oppo, his career has seen him in roles at industry leading brands including Xiaomi and Huawei.

To lead Gekko’s data and reporting team, Tom Harwood joins as Data & Insight Manager from within the retail industry having worked at QVC and Cotswold Outdoor.  His role is to provide campaign, category and marketing information and analysis to Gekko’s portfolio of clients and the retailers they partner.

Finally, to expand Gekko’s ecommerce marketing capabilities, extending and complimenting the services provided to clients from traditional retail to the online retail space, Charles Burrows joins in the newly created role of e-commerce manager. By understanding the online retailer environment in relation to third party e-commerce sites and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) positioning of brand products and messaging, Gekko will now be able to direct and guide e-commerce strategies and improve sales opportunities with customers and retailers. Charles is a digital expert with many years’ experience in the Gaming and Telco sector including roles at EE and Carphone Warehouse

Commenting on the appointments, Daniel Todaro, MD, Gekko said: ““During this pandemic, we’ve seen the increasing trend of the contraction of brick and mortar retail expedite.  As a company that specialises in helping brands be more successful in retail, we’ve spent this time working closely with our clients to establish how best we can continue to help them to thrive across both bricks and mortar channels and e-commerce to improve the customer experience and sales.  The above additions to the team will help us to strengthen our business and deliver on our promise to clients and demonstrates Gekko’s resilience and adaptability during the lockdown by deciding to invest in leading industry talent”.

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Sep 28 2015
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Staff key to a successful peak period

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With last year’s Black Friday generating a 10 per cent increase in footfall compared to previous years, research from Gekko highlights the need to recruit and train in-store brand ambassadors to maximise in-store opportunities for the 2015 peak festive period.

A staggering 50 per cent of shoppers said that there is often not enough staff on the shop floor to help them when making a purchase decision. There is also concern over the manner of in-store staff, with over half (52%) of shoppers complaining that they are too pushy about making a sale.

Despite the growth of online sales, nearly three quarters (74.2%) of shoppers benefit from the touch, feel and physical comparison of products when making purchase decisions. A quarter (26.35%) of shoppers buy in-store when they are purchasing items they need to think about and choose carefully and over half (56.8%) head in-store for advice when making a considered purchase.

Sarah Mandeville, recruitment manager at Gekko believes that staff hold the key to converting sales during the peak-time rush:

“Whether they are full-time or temporary over the peak period, retail staff must demonstrate passion for the product and the ability to make a positive impression on shoppers. In-store is a vital touch-point for consumers, and retailers need to ensure that their staff are trained to maximise every opportunity. In a competitive landscape, which is heightened during peak, a retailer will only get one chance with the consumer.”

To manage the peak-period, here are five important action points for retailers to get the most out of their staff:

1. Allow time for training – Speed is often important when training temporary staff in the run-up to Christmas. However, staff will be more motivated and likely to convert more sales if they are immersed in the role. Take time to build your team’s knowledge and understanding of the brand, company background and product range. In an omnichannel environment, where shoppers can obtain product information using their smartphone, your brand ambassadors must know more than just the product they are selling.

2. Ongoing support – Training shouldn’t just be delivered at the beginning of the peak-period. Once the staff are in place, ongoing revision, recaps and coaching should be continued to keep the team sharp on sales messaging and promotions.

3. Create a team environment – staff may not all work on the same days or in the same locations. Using group chat or social tools such as Facebook or Google Hangouts can help to communicate simultaneously and build communities. To lead the team environment, allocate a mentor as a point of contact to motivate and be contacted at any time.

4. Don’t just motivate with money – Monetary incentives can be short-lived. To motivate the team, it’s worth creating friendly competition with leader boards and prizes. This can be a fun way to build a positive attitude among the workforce.

5. Treat everyone the same – To make employees feel part of the team, employers need to treat temporary staff as though they are full-time employees. Putting effort into training and making temporary staff feel part of a larger team can be a motivating factor for staff in itself.

Read more at: http://digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk/digital-marketing-news/research-shows-retailers-could-suffer-over-peak-period-with-lack-of-in-store-staff/2622

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