Guide

Reed’s Czech Republic salary guide 2023 - pre-register now

​​Pre-register for a free copy of our 2023 Reed Czech Republic Salary Guide today and we'll notify you as soon as it's launched this February.​​​

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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 Ali​What'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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How to choose between candidates

​Sometimes during the recruitment process you may come across two candidates who ticks all the right boxes, but you may only have one position to fill. Trying to choose between candidates who have both impressed at the interview stage, and appear suitable on paper, can be difficult. So what exactly should you be looking for when choosing between two candidates?ExperienceWhile it may appear obvious that a candidate with more experience is more employable, sometimes two applicants will have similar levels. It is worth considering which candidate will provide more in the specific scenario of your company. One candidate may be more suited to the actual demands of the role (remember - desirable doesn't necessarily mean necessary); another may have experience in areas you may look to expand into in the future. Yet, don't write off the value of bringing in someone from an outside industry for a fresh perspective.Also ask yourself if you'd prefer a safe pair of hands – someone that can do the job already, but who may potentially get bored of it quickly; or someone who maybe has a bit less experience, but is ready for the next step up into this role.Who wants it more?Following on from this, how much the candidate wants the job is an important factor. It is important to determine whether they simply need a job or if the position you are potentially offering them is their ideal role.Someone who wants to work in your field, and for you specifically, could bring you a lasting tenure, whereas somebody looking for a stopgap position is more likely to move on when something more suitable presents itself.ChemistryIt is not only a potential candidate's skill set that should be taken into account during selection, but also their softer skills. A new employee with strong interpersonal skills who easily gels with you and your team will be able to start working to the best of their abilities and operating successfully within the team more quickly than others.A candidate should be gauged on their cultural fit to the company and their fit with those they will be working with and for. Moreover, someone who is predisposed to work as an individual may not be as effective in a team that tends to work closely together. Remember – you're probably going to have to get on with them every day, so liking them is also important.ConnectionsIf choosing between two potential candidates is still proving difficult, it can be useful to look at what else they bring to the table. A candidate with a strong client base or background with already established relationships and connections that will bolster your company could help to secure contracts that you otherwise may not have won.​

1. Featured

Reed’s Czech Republic salary guide 2022

Looking for 2023 salaries? Pre-register for a free copy of our 2023 Reed Malta Salary Guide today and we'll notify you as soon as it's launched.​With the pandemic beginning to loosen its hold on the Czech Republic, 2022 brings optimism for both companies and professionals. With the greater certainty this brings, businesses will be less cautious about hiring, while employees who didn’t want to risk changing jobs during the pandemic will feel more secure about moving.This environment makes it important for both employers and employees to understand the market rate for salaries and benefits across the country. Reed’s Czech Republic salary guide 2022 allows you to benchmark salaries for a range of positions across Prague and Brno, ensuring you know what you are worth and as an employer, what you should be paying staff.Who should read the 2022 Czech Republic salary guide?The salary guide is essential reading for employers and employees.Organisations should use the figures and survey data contained in the guide to inform their salary and benefit offerings, especially with the labour market favouring worker demands.On the flip side, professionals are in a strong position if they choose to find a new job. Using the guide to understand their value puts educates them, ensuring they know their worth when it comes to securing a new role.Which industries are covered?The guide covers all eight of Reed’s specialist recruitment sectors in the Czech Republic. Whether you’re looking to hire, or become a junior accountant, electronic engineer or customer service manager, Reed’s guide features the insight you need to aid your decision making.The guide includes information on the following sectors:·       Accountancy & finance·       Banking·       Engineering·       Human resources & business support·       Multilingual shared services·       Procurement & supply chain·       Sales & marketing ·       TechnologyWhy you should download the salary guideThe Czech Republic salary guide 2022 features minimum, maximum and average salaries for hundreds of jobs at all seniorities across Prague and Brno. As well as the salaries on offer, the guide analyses key trends across all of Reed’s specialist recruitment sectors. We’ve highlighted the most interesting developments in each industry, as well as provided local insight from our recruitment experts. The guide also offers in-depth information about the country’s business landscape, analysing the results of a Reed survey of professionals on the salary and benefits they receive and those they desire.“This salary guide will help businesses plan for the rest of 2022 and ensure they have the right strategy in place to stand out from their competitors.” – Lenka Hnatkova, Principal Business Manager, Reed​​You can download all of this for free – simply hit the button to access our multitude of salary and benefits data in the Czech Republic.

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8 ways to get a job with no experience

You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience... How do you get your foot on the ladder? Whether you're fresh out of education or looking to follow a new career path, feeling like you don't have the experience to land that first job can be frustrating. So, here are some of the ways you can achieve the (seemingly) impossible and get a job with no experience!Address the issueIf you lack experience, don't try to brush over the fact. A cover letter is the perfect place to address any gaps in your CV, so use the opportunity to address any concerns the employer might have. Then...Focus on what you DO haveExperience is important, but so is your attitude to work, your personality, your understanding of the company and its activity, motivation, resilience, ideas for the future - the list is endless, so don't get too hung up on any one thing.Find experience you didn't know you hadBefore you decide you don't have the experience, make absolutely sure this is true. Think back over your past jobs and try to draw links between the experience you need and the experience you have. Remember: it needn't be exactly the same; the key word to keep in mind is relevant. If you've organised a meeting or answered the phones, that's admin experience. If you've set up a Facebook page or created a flier, that's marketing. Think outside the box!Create some experienceDo some voluntary work, work experience, or an internship.​“ Don't be afraid to start from scratch. Getting your foot in the door is crucial, and you never know what might come next. ”​But (as above) make sure the experience you're getting is relevant. If you're still taking your first steps, don't waste time with unrelated work, especially if it's unpaid!Demonstrate your intentIf you really want to get into a particular industry, make sure that people know about it. Get involved in relevant industry discussions on LinkedIn, join relevant groups, attend networking and careers events, and make sure you make your enthusiasm public.Apply speculativelyIf you only apply for advertised jobs, you're going to be assessed against set criteria. Apply speculatively to companies that interest you, demonstrate you've done your research, and ask if there's any opportunities for you as you're looking to break into the industry. If the answer is no, ask if you can apply again in 6 months, and find out what you can do in the meantime to improve your chances.NetworkIf you don't have the desired level of experience, you need to be trustworthy. Network, and get your contacts to recommend you. Employers are more likely to overlook the gap in your experience if you come with a recommendation from someone they can trust. Find out more about effectiveness networking.

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How to write a cover letter

How to write a covering letter. The bane of many people’s lives. But it really doesn’t need to be. Follow our simple tips and yours will stand out from the crowd.​Let’s start with the basics: what is a cover letter?A cover letter accompanies a CV (and/or completed application form). It can also be the email you send to a prospective employer with your CV attached – the lines are now starting to blur. It's an opportunity to highlight what makes you particularly suited for the job, but most importantly, should highlight your passions and motivations for the job and company in question.Why you need oneRecruiters get inundated with CVs from hundreds of people who apply for their vacancies, so the cover letter helps make you stand out. Send a good one, and they’ll probably spend more time on your CV.How to start and end a cover letterResearch the job you’re applying for and find out who the hiring manager will be and address it to them – brownie points for this straight away. This may involve a call to the recruitment team covering the role or you may prefer to do a bit of searching on LinkedIn. Once you have a name you should address the letter to that person and begin the letter, for example, "Dear Ms Jones," and end with "Yours sincerely, ".If you can’t find the name of the person, but have a job title, such as the HR manager, you should address the letter to the HR manager, and include"Dear Sir or Madam," and end with "Yours faithfully, ".You should include the job title of the role you are applying for somewhere clearly – in an email this could well be the subject line, or in a letter it could be in your opening paragraph. We won’t be more specific than this as, for the sake of job-hunting, there are more important things to worry about.A cover letter should always end positively and look ahead to the next stage, for example, 'I would be happy to provide further information at interview' or 'I look forward to hearing from you'.The meat of the matterAlways write a new cover letter for each job you go for: recruiters can spot a “copy & paste” job at half a mile. Your cover letter should explain why you are applying for this particular job. You should use it to expand upon areas of your CV that are relevant to the job you are applying for, and link them to your personal motivations. If you have a real interest in the company and its products, or you have certain qualifications that are suitable for this job, then say so. If you believe in the company’s values then tell them. If the role is the ideal next step in your career, explain why. If there is something about you which makes you particularly unique – personal recommendations, previous voluntary experience, or other anecdotes, use them. Remember you need to stand out as being passionate (without seeming desperate) and likeable.RelevanceEverything you write should relate directly to the job at hand: they won’t want to know that you like football or watching TV unless the job is about football or TV. And don't just repeat what's on your CV. The covering letter and CV work together, with each filling in the gaps of the other. Use the covering letter to shed additional light on the information on your CV.LengthYour cover letter should be well-presented and ideally fit onto one page – to a maximum of approximately 400 words. You want to entice the hirer to want to find out more about you, not tell them the whole story up front.Proof-readingThere’s nothing worse than seeing a well-written letter that’s littered with errors. Many recruiters will reject all applications with any spelling errors or typos without a second thought, so don’t let that be yours. This is especially important if you’re going for a job that requires any sort of attention to detail. Check your work thoroughly.A note on researchWe can’t stress the importance of this enough. Before you start, do some research on the company and the job you’re applying for. Things to know include what the company does, their competitors and where they're placed in the market.Not only will carrying out this research give you the knowledge you require to tailor your cover letter and CV to the style of the company, it also demonstrates that you’ve a real interest in the role and the company itself.A final thoughtYour CV shows you can do the job, your cover letter shows you will do the job. The two should complement each other. ​​