3 mins read
- Article
How to attract and retain talent in the Czech Republic’s candidate-short market
2022 was a challenging year for both professionals and businesses. Employees had to adapt to new ways of working while also being concerned for their health during the pandemic. Job security was also a worry during Covid, with a number of professionals in the country being made redundant. Due to the current cost-of-living crisis, these concerns have become a key focus for many again, and we may see even fewer professionals willing to leave their jobs this year, with the risk of being ‘last in, first out’. This will further exacerbate the current talent shortage felt across the Czech Republic.The turbulent economic effects of the past few years will still be with us in 2023. Of course, we are all hopeful the country will regain some stability and start to see some growth. The key is to ensure your business model is agile and responsive to the changing market and employee needs, and to ensure you are attracting and retaining talent that can help your business flourish. Organisations have been struggling to find the talent they need through traditional sourcing methods this year, as there are fewer professionals actively seeking employment. Here are some top tips to attract and retain talent this year:Streamline your recruitment processDue to limited talent pools, employers should look to minimise the number of stages within their recruitment process. An unnecessarily long process will most likely lead to your potential hire dropping out and accepting an offer elsewhere. Talented professionals have their pick of roles – so if they are right for your business, you need to act fast.Be flexible with requirementsWe have noticed recently that some hiring managers are less concerned with industry experience and technical skills than they once were, and many are being more flexible with their requirements. There are many professionals with transferable skills that can be trained in-house. Similarly, hiring junior professionals and providing them with training and development opportunities is a great way to access more talent. Look for people with good communication skills who collaborate well, have good problem-solving skills, are quick to adapt and, above all, have the ability to learn new things in a constantly changing environment. Offer meaningful benefits Employers need to ensure they are offering employees the benefits they actually want. There is no point spending money on rewards such as company mobile phones if no one wants them, as it does not add value to your offering. Instead, consider benefits that will meaningfully improve your employees’ lives.Many people across the country are still experiencing challenges with their mental health because of the societal, economic and political turbulence of recent years. Employers who can offer progressive mental health and wellbeing policies, flexible working opportunities, and a good company culture will be in a better position to secure the best professionals this year. To help inform our 2023 salary guide, we surveyed 433 professionals in the Czech Republic to find out what benefits they receive and what benefits are the most desirable when/if they are looking for a new job. The top-three most desirable benefits were an annual salary increment, with 60% naming this their top benefit, flexible working hours (54%) and a four-day working week (47%). Those that can offer these will be in the best position to attract and retain talent this year.Offer a competitive salary Offering a competitive salary is vital in today’s economic climate. While many businesses are struggling to manage their own costs, they are also having to increase pay to attract the talent they need to help their business grow. By ensuring your salaries match up with the average, you will have an advantage in the labour market. This will become even more important as the cost of living continues to rise and professionals demand higher pay as a result.To find the average salaries for the most common job roles across multiple sectors, download our 2023 Czech Republic salary guide today.
4 mins read
- Featured
Reed’s Czech Republic salary guide 2023
Use our salary guide to compare the average salary in the Czech Republic by sector - a resource for both employers and employees.Our 2023 salary guide looks at average salaries in the Czech Republic and benefits across eight sectors. The guide uses data from jobs posted in the Czech Republic to highlight key trends and insights, enabling you to benchmark average salaries for your workforce. Or if you are unsure of what your net wage should be, use this wage calculator to find out what you should, or could, be earning. Download our free guide now to compare average salaries and benefits across the Czech Republic. Entering 2023, the landscape looks uncertain, with the majority of EU countries battling rising inflation rates. On top of this, the workforce in the Czech Republic has shrunk, with the demand for workers, alongside the ongoing impact of the pandemic, affecting the skills gaps across several sectors. It’s more important than ever in the volatile, candidate-driven market we’re in, that you check your salaries and benchmark against your competition to ensure you can attract and retain the right professionals to your workforce. Using data from jobs posted by Reed, our 2023 Czech Republic salary guide is the ultimate salary checker. By using our guide to inform your average salary, you’ll understand what jobs are worth across all regions in the country, helping you to stand out when looking for new employees or searching for a new role. Who is this salary guide designed for? Whether you’re looking to find out what your current net wage should be, what the next step on the career ladder could see you earning, or whether you are paying your team enough for the work they do, our salary guide allows you to compare salaries across the Czech Republic – from accountancy and finance jobs through to the latest technology roles. Take advantage of our guide and use it as a salary calculator throughout 2023. Are you an employer looking for benchmarking advice? You can use our salary guide to compare salaries and benefits, allowing you to ensure your remuneration packages are up to date and on par with competitors. At a time when talent is tight, you must stay ahead of the game to appeal to those looking to jump ship. Failure to do so could leave job application numbers low and your competition thriving. Are you trying to find out what you should be earning? Use our 2023 net wage calculator to know your worth, help you decide on a new job you have been offered, or even plan your next step on the career ladder – would you earn enough if you were to change sector? What sectors does our salary guide cover? The Reed 2023 Czech Republic salary guide assess salaries and benefits across the following eight sectors: Accountancy & finance Banking Engineering HR & business support Multilingual shared services Procurement & supply chain Sales & marketing Technology So, whether you’re looking to hire a chief accountant, business controller, HR business partner, sales representative, or marketing manager, or if you’re trying to find out what you should be earning as a private banker, or IT manager, you can use Reed’s guide for reassurance. Why download the Reed Czech Republic salary guide? It’s the most reliable salary guide in the Czech Republic, based on jobs that come to our specialist recruitment team. We highlight the average net income for roles across the eight sectors listed above, give you a lower and upper salary scale, and compare average salary growth over the past four years. On top of this, our guide features insights from our specialism experts who give an overview of the sector on a national level and what to expect from the jobs market in 2023. With rich data at your fingertips, you can ensure you are best informed to make the right choices. How can the Reed salary guide help with my benefits/rewards benchmarking? We surveyed Czech workers to help further inform you. You can read the full highlights in the ‘Our survey says’ section of the guide. Key findings from our research include: 20% said they are ‘somewhat unhappy’ with their current salary, with six per cent reporting to be ‘very unhappy’ with it. When asked why they are unhappy, 46% of respondents said it was because it had not risen with the cost of living. The top three benefits people receive are flexible working hours (46%), health insurance (41%), and a company mobile phone (41%). When asked what they desired when looking for a new job, 60% would find an annual salary increment to be one of the most attractive benefits followed by flexible working hours (54%), and a four-day working week (47%). To help you make an informed choice on all things salary and benefits, download our salary guide using the button above.
3 mins read
- Article
How to prepare for an interview presentation
Particularly for executive level positions, a presentation stage can be an integral part of the short-listing process.Many employers opt for a presentation interview as it gives a better overview of your general aptitude when compared to (or combined with) a traditional question and answer interview. The presentation is your opportunity to showcase your knowledge, experience and communication skills as well as your general organisation and diligence.Here are our tips on how you can ensure you deliver the best interview presentation possible.Preparing your presentation for an interviewKeep each slide short and significant, aiming for no more than 10 slides. This ensures the information you deliver is memorable and will help you to stand out from other intervieweesUse a range of formats to help illustrate your points. Include graphs, statistics, diagrams, video clips, and images to help break up large volumes of text and maintain the attention of the interviewersInclude quotes from industry leaders and/or research pieces. This helps give your points authority and demonstrate your commercial awarenessIncorporate company colours or fonts in the design of your presentation. This will show you’ve done your research and highlight your brand awarenessCheck spelling and grammar thoroughly – small mistakes can really undermine the content of your presentationPresenting tipsPresent confidently and enthusiastically. Remember to speak clearly, make eye contact and use open body languagePractice, practice, practice. Ensure you are well rehearsed so that you are familiar with the structure and are able to deliver your presentation smoothlyArrive early to give yourself time to set up the presentation and settle any nervesGet comfortable with PowerPoint and presentation equipment. Make sure you know how to work the projector, visual screens or remote control before you begin to avoid any awkward stumbles or pausesHave access to multiple sources of your presentation. Email the file to yourself and the recruiter, bring a copy on a USB stick and bring printed handouts. This way you are covered if anything goes wrong with the file you’re intending to useStay within the allocated time. If you have not been given a guidance on length, aim for the 10 minute mark. Time your presentation when you are practising to make sure it will fit within your allowed time slot. If you need to reduce the content of your presentation, cut out the least relevant or weakest pointsBe prepared to adapt. You may have practiced your presentation in a certain way, but the interviewer might not respond accordingly. Be prepared to be stopped for questions or further discussion unexpectedly10 minute interview presentation templateBelow is an example for the structure of your interview presentation. Use this as a baseline and adapt or reorder where appropriate based on the task you have been set by the interviewer.Slide 1:Introduction – Reiterate the objectives you have been set and lay out the structure of your presentation so that the interviewers know what to expectSlide 2:About you – Detail your professional experience, skills and working styleSlide 3:Company history – Give a brief summary of the company history, any milestones or awardsSlides 4-7:Answering the brief – Give your responses to questions you’ve been asked to answer, the benefits and limitations of your suggestionsSlide 8:Question and answers – Include a slide titled ‘questions and answers’ as a cue to pause for interactionSlide 9:Conclusion – Sum up the key points you have made, reach a decision and explain your reasoningSlide 10:Personal achievements – End the interview on a high with a brief slide on achievements that show you will succeed in the roleTaking these steps should help you to succeed in your presentation interview.
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2 mins read
- Article
How to ace your video interview
Use the following video interviewing tips to help you secure your next role.There are two types of video interviewLive interviews are what you would expect – a video call with the interviewer which is very similar to a face-to-face interview, but slightly different. Some may feel more relaxed knowing that they are speaking face-to-face with a person, even if it’s only through a screen.Pre-recorded interviews provide you with questions you must answer by recording yourself. These interviews are usually recorded with specialist software, such as Shine, and you will have a certain number of attempts to answer each question.Check your techTest your microphone, camera and internet connection before you start, and make sure your device is compatible with the software your interviewer is using. Making a test call will give you piece of mind that everything is set up correctly.In case of any unexpected audio issues, or your connection drops, ensure you have the interviewer’s contact number so that you can continue your interview over the phone. Don’t forget to fully charge your device or have it plugged in to avoid any potential disruption from a low battery.Just as you would in a face-to-face interview, you must also check that your phone is on silent and any notifications are off.FramingTo frame yourself well, position yourself in the centre of the screen, with the camera at eye-level, an arm’s length away. If you give the illusion of eye-contact by looking at the camera, you will seem more engaging to the interviewer. The interviewer will have a better impression of you, and will be more engaged in your answers.It is most important to choose a location where you won’t be disturbed and are least likely to pick up noise from your surroundings. Choose a space which is not too dark or too bright and remove anything from behind you that you wouldn’t want your employer to see, such as dirty clothes.Body language and appearanceBe as professional as possible, both in how you dress and in your body language – remember that this is your potential employer. Even if the interviewer can’t see all of you, dressing well will put you in the right mindset for a job interview and you will make a much better impression.Other than your facial expression and hand gestures, your non-verbal communication is limited, so it will be more difficult for the interviewer to pick up positive body language. Ensure you don’t fidget too much, avoid covering your mouth, and make sure to smile.Our YouTube channel has a fantastic series of interviewing advice videos detailing the dos and don’ts for candidates.If you’re looking for a new career opportunity, contact your local office via email or over the phone.
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1 mins read
- Article
Getting the best from your interview
Interviews give your potential employer the chance to see you – in the flesh, or remotely over a video call – to learn about your likes and dislikes, capabilities, and get an overall feel for whether you will fit in with the organisation.However, getting the best from the interview doesn't just mean showing your best self to get the job - it also means using the opportunity to assess the environment you will be working in, those you will be working with and for, and making it clear in your mind whether the job and organisation are right for you.First interview, second interview, face-to-face interview, telephone interview, video interview: whatever the type of interview they all have one thing in common – you have the opportunity to shine."To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are."Muhammad AliWhat's inside the guide?You may be the most knowledgeable professional for the job, but without performing well at an interview you won’t stand a chance of securing your next role.The guide takes you through the following:Getting to grips with the organisation you could be working forDress codeDifferent types of interviewTackling common first interview questionsThe big daySecond interviewsPreparing for a presentation taskOn-the-day tasksBy downloading this guide, you will learn the tips and tricks on the interview process which will help you to make the most of the short time you have to sell yourself.
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3 mins read
- Article
The path to success in phone interviews
Covid-19 has reduced the number of face-to-face interviews. This means organisations need to use phone or video interviews to assess jobseekers. While some are continuing to use phone interviews as a method of filtering applicants, others requiring quick turnarounds are using easy-to-arrange phone interviews as the only stage in the process.Phone interviews present different experience to face-to-face and video interviews. It might seem like a relief not to have an interviewer scrutinising your appearance and body language, but it also means it can be harder for you to make a good impression on them.Below are some tips to ensuring you give the best phone interview you possibly can:Prepare like it is a face-to-face interviewRegardless of whether your interviewer is using this as a single interview or as a first interview to shortlist candidates, you should still prepare as though this is a face-to-face meeting.Find out as much as you can about the organisation who you would be working for. Research your interviewer and what they do at the company. List your key achievements and areas which demonstrate your skills.Make sure that you write down any questions you want to ask. A phone interview is an ideal time to find out more about the role you have applied for, company culture and personal development opportunities.Have your preparation to handWhen preparing for a face-to-face interview, it is important to memorise information, as consistently referring to pieces of paper does not create a flowing conversation and can count against you.In a phone interview, an interviewer cannot see you referring to your notes, so you can do this much more often than in a face-to-face setting.As part of your preparation, make a note of any important figures you can quote back to your interviewer, such as your sales figures, number of customers you have helped and other areas where you have gone above and beyond targets.Have your CV and anything else you used in your application to hand, such as a cover letter, to ensure that you can refer to what you have listed on them; your interviewer will be doing the same.However, do not fall into the trap of simply reading off a piece of paper, as this will be apparent to your interviewer. Instead, drop any information in naturally, ensuring that conversation continues to flow freely.Communicate clearly and conciselyIt is more difficult to have a naturally flowing conversation over the phone than face to face. There are actions you can take to help the conversation progress naturally.The most important element is listening hard to your interviewer. Take on board all elements of their questions, making a note of anything that seems particularly important, in case they refer back to it later.Always leave a pause when an interviewer stops speaking, just to make sure that you are not interrupting them. This pause will also give you some time to frame your answer in your mind.When answering questions, put on your best ‘telephone voice’ and speak with enthusiasm and energy. Enunciate as much as you can, not forgetting to breathe. Having a glass of water to hand will also help you.Just because there is no visual element, it does not mean you have to speak as much as possible. Well-formed, concise answers will make a far better impression than you rambling to make the same point over five minutes that you could have made in 30 seconds.Finally, before the interview begins, make sure you can take the call in a quiet area where you will not be interrupted.By following these steps, and applying face-to-face interview practice, you will make a great impression on your potential employer.If you are looking for a job, permanent or temporary, across one of our 20 specialisms, contact your local Reed office.