Tag: recruitment

Recruitment offers a level of variety and unpredictability that keeps the job fresh and engaging. No two days are the same, thanks to the mix of tasks, challenges, and opportunities to work with people. If you enjoy a fast-moving environment with plenty of variety, it’s a career worth considering.

A Mix of Tasks Every Day

As a recruiter, your day could involve:

  • Sourcing candidates: Using job boards, LinkedIn, and your network to find the right talent.
  • Screening CVs and conducting interviews: Evaluating skills, experience, and cultural fit.
  • Building relationships: Speaking with clients to understand their needs and candidates to support their career goals.
  • Negotiating offers: Acting as a mediator to align expectations and finalise placements.
  • Administrative work: Updating databases, writing job descriptions, or coordinating interview schedules.

The combination of these tasks means you’re always switching gears, keeping things fresh.

Why Recruitment is More Than Just Filling Jobs – Advance TRS

The Element of Surprise

Recruitment is inherently unpredictable. Candidates can drop out of interviews, clients may change their requirements, or new roles can suddenly land in your lap. Success often depends on your ability to adapt quickly and find solutions.

5 Things You Might Not Know About Working in Recruitment  – Advance TRS

Balancing People and Business

Recruitment isn’t just about filling roles; it’s about connecting people to opportunities. On one side, you’re a trusted advisor to candidates, helping them navigate their careers. On the other, you’re a partner to businesses, ensuring they find the talent they need to thrive. This dual focus means your role is always evolving.

Celebrating Wins

From placing a candidate in their dream role to helping a client achieve their hiring goals, recruitment has tangible rewards. These moments of success make the effort worth it and motivate you to tackle the next challenge.

Why It Works for the Right People

If you enjoy problem-solving, working with people, and thrive in a fast-moving environment, recruitment might be the career for you. It’s challenging, but the variety and unpredictability make it a job where you’ll never feel stuck in a routine.

Ready for a career where no two days are the same? Explore opportunities to join our team, here.

Finding the right role in competitive industries like construction, rail, and water can feel overwhelming. A recruitment consultancy, especially those specialising in technical sectors, offer tailored support to help you secure the right position. Here’s how working with a specialist consultancy like Advance TRS can benefit your career search.

1. Access to Exclusive Job Opportunities

Many companies rely on recruitment consultancies to fill roles that aren’t advertised publicly. This means consultancies like Advance TRS can connect you with positions you won’t find on job boards or through general searches. These exclusive roles are often with leading employers, giving you the chance to apply for projects and positions that directly match your skills and experience.

Advance TRS Mark 300 Placements with Alstom UK – Advance TRS

2. Expert Guidance and Industry Knowledge

Specialist consultancies understand the industries they recruit for inside out. Advance TRS focuses on sectors such as rail, infrastructure, and energy, so we know what employers are looking for, from certifications to soft skills. This expertise ensures you’re matched with roles suited to your capabilities, while also giving you valuable insights into market trends, expected salaries, and in-demand skills.

Sectors Advance TRS | Recruitment consultancy for the Built Environment

3. Support Throughout the Recruitment Process

Working with a consultancy means you’re not navigating the recruitment process alone. From helping you create a standout CV to offering interview preparation tailored to the employer, a recruitment consultancy provides personalised support. They also assist in negotiating job offers, ensuring you secure the best possible terms. This hands-on guidance can boost your confidence and make the entire process less stressful.

Candidates can expect exceptional recruitment service from Advance TRS

4. Time-Saving Job Search Solutions

Searching for jobs, tailoring applications, and keeping track of deadlines can be time-consuming. Recruitment consultancies streamline this process by actively searching for roles on your behalf and managing applications. This leaves you free to focus on preparation or personal commitments, knowing that someone is working behind the scenes to find the right opportunities for you.

5. A Partner for Long-Term Career Growth

The relationship with a recruitment consultancy doesn’t have to end after you land a job. Consultancies like Advance TRS aim to build long-term connections with candidates, offering advice on career progression and letting you know about future opportunities that match your ambitions. This ongoing partnership can help you stay informed about the industry and develop your career over time.

Why Choose Advance TRS?

Advance TRS has a proven track record in connecting skilled professionals with leading built environment companies and projects. Our team works closely with candidates to provide a professional, consultative, and personable service. From CV advice to post-placement support, we’re committed to helping you achieve your career goals.

Ready to take the next step? Explore our latest opportunities, here.

If you’re thinking about a career in recruitment, it’s easy to assume the job is all about finding people to fill roles. In reality, recruitment is much more dynamic and rewarding. It’s about building relationships, shaping careers, and influencing industries. Here’s why recruitment is a strategic, consultative career that’s far more than just filling vacancies.

Building Partnerships with Clients

As a recruiter, you’ll work closely with businesses to help them build teams that align with their goals. It’s not just about placing people—it’s about understanding what the company needs to thrive.

  • Advising on hiring strategies: You’ll guide clients on the skills, salaries, and structures needed to stay competitive.
  • Shaping roles: Many clients rely on recruiters to refine job descriptions to attract the best talent.
  • Planning ahead: Recruitment involves anticipating what businesses will need in the future and helping them prepare.

How We Build Strong Relationships With Our Clients

Supporting Candidates in Their Careers

Recruitment isn’t just about ticking boxes for job requirements. It’s about helping people take the next step in their careers. You’ll act as a career coach, guiding candidates toward opportunities they might not have considered.

  • Identifying potential: You’ll help candidates see how their skills apply to new roles or industries.
  • Advising on development: Suggesting courses, certifications, or experiences can help candidates become stronger applicants.
  • Providing feedback: Constructive feedback from you can help candidates improve and succeed, even if they don’t get the role they applied for.

Influencing Industry Trends

Recruitment keeps you at the centre of industry trends. You’ll gain insights into what businesses need and where the market is heading. This knowledge allows you to shape how industries evolve.

  • Help businesses adapt to new technologies or changing regulations.
  • Promote diversity and inclusion by championing underrepresented talent.
  • Guide clients and candidates through economic or market shifts.

5 Ways to Stay in the Loop with Industry Trends  – Advance TRS

Why Recruitment Is a Strategic Career

Recruitment is about connecting the right people with the right opportunities, but it’s also about making an impact. You’ll help businesses succeed, support candidates in reaching their goals, and contribute to shaping industries.

If you’re ready for a career that’s challenging, rewarding, and impactful, recruitment could be the perfect fit for you – check out our work for us page to find out about our current opportunities, here.

In the built environment, contract roles are common, especially in industries like rail, construction, and infrastructure. These positions are often tied to short-term projects but offer far more. For candidates looking to advance their careers, contract roles provide opportunities to gain experience, expand networks, and even transition into permanent roles.

Build Diverse Experience

Contract roles expose you to a wide variety of projects, teams, and challenges. This allows you to:

  • Gain specialised knowledge: Working on focused, high-impact projects sharpens your technical skills.
  • Broaden your expertise: Moving between roles can give you experience across disciplines, such as design, project management, or geotechnical engineering.
  • Develop adaptability: Being part of different organisations teaches you to navigate various work environments and systems.

Over time, this variety builds a strong CV that highlights your versatility and practical skills, making you a more attractive candidate for future roles.

Expand Your Professional Network

Each contract role introduces you to new colleagues, managers, and industry leaders. Building strong relationships with these professionals can help you:

  • Access unadvertised roles: Many jobs in the built environment are filled through recommendations.
  • Gain mentors: Experienced professionals can offer guidance and support as your career develops.
  • Create future opportunities: Impressing key stakeholders during a contract can lead to repeat engagements or offers of permanent roles.

Treat every contract as an opportunity to grow your reputation. Being reliable, professional, and skilled leaves a lasting impression.

Leveraging Online Platforms for Digital Networking – Advance TRS

Transition into Permanent Roles

Many candidates use contract positions as a stepping stone to secure permanent roles. Employers often recruit contractors for short-term needs but look to retain top performers for the long term. To improve your chances of making this transition:

  • Communicate your interest: Let your manager know you’re open to permanent opportunities.
  • Go beyond the role: Show initiative by contributing ideas or taking on additional responsibilities.
  • Demonstrate alignment: Highlight how your values and long-term goals align with the organisation’s mission.

Even if a permanent role isn’t immediately available, leaving on good terms keeps the door open for future opportunities.

Contractor vs. Permanent Roles in the Built Environment

Stay Strategic

To maximise the career benefits of contracting, stay strategic about the roles you accept. Look for positions that:

  • Enhance your skill set in line with your long-term goals.
  • Offer exposure to high-profile projects or reputable organisations.
  • Provide networking opportunities with influential professionals in your field.

Balance short-term flexibility with long-term planning to ensure each contract builds towards your career ambitions.

Contract positions are more than temporary work. They’re a platform to build skills, expand networks, and create opportunities for long-term growth.

If you’re looking for your next contract role in the built environment, we can connect you with projects that align with your goals – take a look at our jobs available, here.

Recruitment isn’t always straightforward. Beyond finding the right skills for the job, recruiters face unique challenges that can complicate even the best-laid plans. At Advance TRS, we’ve developed ways to handle these issues efficiently, ensuring our clients and candidates both get the best possible experience – looking at 5 unexpected challenges in recruitment.

1. Managing Candidate Expectations

Candidates often come with set ideas about salary, benefits, or role progression. Balancing these expectations with market realities can be a challenge.

  • Our Approach: We start with honest, transparent conversations about salary ranges, role requirements, and growth potential. By setting realistic expectations from the start, we help candidates see the full picture and reduce the chance of surprises later in the process.

2. Balancing Client Needs with Candidate Fit

Clients often want very specific skills or experience, but matching these exact needs with candidate availability isn’t always possible.

  • Our Approach: We focus on understanding the core requirements and identifying transferrable skills that could also benefit the client. By presenting flexible options and explaining how candidates’ experiences can align with the client’s goals, we maintain a strong balance between exact needs and realistic matches.

Understanding Client Needs: How Sales Professionals Deliver Value in Recruitment – Advance TRS

3. Handling Counter Offers

In a competitive market, good candidates often receive counteroffers from their current employers when they announce plans to leave.

  • Our Approach: We prepare candidates for this possibility by discussing it early on, helping them weigh the pros and cons. If a counteroffer does come in, we guide them to consider their long-term goals, making the decision that’s genuinely best for them—not just the highest offer on the table.

How to Deal with a Counter Offer – Advance TRS

4. Navigating Rapid Market Changes

The built environment can experience rapid changes in demand due to new regulations or project funding shifts.

  • Our Approach: We stay informed on industry trends and client pipeline needs, which allows us to anticipate shifts and adjust our recruiting approach. Our agility ensures we have a proactive plan, keeping placements steady even in a fluctuating market.

5 Ways to Stay in the Loop with Industry Trends  – Advance TRS

5. Managing Post-Placement Support

The work doesn’t end after a candidate is placed; support during onboarding and early stages is just as important for a successful placement.

  • Our Approach: We keep communication open with both clients and candidate’s post-placement. By checking in regularly, we ensure everything is on track, address any early concerns, and maintain long-term relationships that make future placements even smoother.

Recruitment is full of unexpected challenges, but at Advance TRS, we thrive on tackling them head-on. By staying proactive, transparent, and flexible, we ensure that both our clients and candidates have the best experience possible. Our ability to manage expectations, balance competing needs, and provide ongoing support makes us a reliable partner in the recruitment process. No matter the challenge, we’re here to find the right solution and deliver the results you need.

Culture & Core Values: What Sets Advance TRS Apart – Advance TRS

If you think you’re up for these recruitment hurdles, check out our Work for Us page to see current opportunities!

Compliance isn’t just a checkbox for us at Advance TRS—it’s the foundation of every candidate placement, especially in high-regulation fields like rail and construction. By prioritising rigorous background checks, certifications, and continuous training, we ensure that every professional we place meets industry and safety standards, helping our clients stay compliant and reducing risk across all project sites.

Responsibility at Advance TRS Specialist Recruiters

Our Compliance Process

We place skilled professionals in heavily regulated sectors, where non-compliance can have serious consequences. Here’s how we keep compliance at the forefront of our recruitment process:

1. Background Checks

  • Comprehensive Vetting: Each candidate goes through thorough background checks that cover employment history, criminal records, and other regulatory requirements specific to the role and industry.
  • Verification: We verify key qualifications and experiences, ensuring that each candidate holds the credentials and practical expertise needed for their role. This helps eliminate unqualified candidates and maintains high standards across client projects.

2. Certifications and Qualifications

  • Regulatory Compliance: In sectors like rail and construction, certifications are critical. We check each candidate’s credentials, ensuring they meet the current standards set by regulatory bodies such as the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
  • Up-to-Date Documentation: We keep track of certification expiration dates and support candidates in renewing any necessary qualifications to stay compliant. This proactive approach allows us to supply professionals who are fully qualified for every project phase.

Advance TRS certifications and awards for the best service possible

3. Ongoing Training and Development

  • Safety and Industry Training: As regulatory standards evolve, so do our training requirements. We coordinate with candidates to help them access necessary courses, keeping their skills relevant and aligned with industry demands.
  • Client-Specific Standards: Some clients have unique compliance needs. For these, we provide additional training options to make sure candidates are ready to meet specific standards on-site.

4. Continuous Improvement and Monitoring

  • Regular Audits: Our compliance team regularly reviews our processes, ensuring we maintain best practices and adapt to changes in industry standards.
  • Feedback Loops: We welcome input from clients and candidates on compliance matters, using this feedback to fine-tune our approach and keep our practices effective and up to date.

Why Compliance Matters

In high-stakes industries like rail and construction, where safety and quality are paramount, compliance isn’t just about meeting requirements—it’s essential for maintaining safety, reliability, and trust. By committing to these rigorous compliance practices, Advance TRS helps create safe, compliant work environments that benefit everyone involved.

Good Governance at Advance TRS: Ensuring High Standards

Creating a CV that gets noticed by employers requires clarity, structure, and relevance. Hiring managers sift through numerous CVs, so yours needs to make a strong impression from the start. Here’s what they’re looking for and how to make your CV stand out:

1. Structure it clearly

Start with your contact information at the top: name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile. Next, include a personal summary—a brief overview of your key skills, experience, and goals. Keep this to a few sentences that convey your strengths effectively.

  • Skills: List your top skills in a dedicated section. Focus on skills that align with the job description, making it easy for recruiters to see what you bring to the table.
  • Experience: Start with your latest role and work backward. Rather than listing tasks, highlight your contributions and results. For instance, instead of “Managed a team,” try “Managed a team of five, increasing project efficiency by 25%.”

2. Tailor it for each role

A generic CV doesn’t capture the unique needs of each position. Review the job description and pull-out keywords, especially specific skills, tools, or certifications that match your experience. This helps ensure your CV aligns with the role and improves its chances with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which scan CVs for relevant terms.

3. Stick to a professional, simple design

Choose a clear layout with consistent formatting and enough white space. Use an easy-to-read font like Arial or Calibri, size 10-12, and avoid distracting colours or graphics. This keeps the focus on your experience and makes it easy for recruiters to navigate.

4. Focus on achievements, not just duties

Employers want to see what you’ve accomplished in each role. Use specific numbers and results where you can. Example:

  • Instead of: “Managed construction site activities.”
  • Try: “Coordinated daily site operations for a £10 million infrastructure project, improving project timelines by 10% and reducing downtime by 15%.”

5. Include action verbs and relevant keywords

Start bullet points with action verbs like “Led,” “Developed,” or “Achieved.” These words show initiative and clearly communicate your contributions. Incorporate keywords naturally to match the role description but avoid overloading your CV with terms—make sure each word adds value.

6. Avoid common pitfalls

  • Typos and Grammar Errors: Proofread carefully or ask someone else to review.
  • Clichés: Terms like “hard worker” or “excellent communicator” are overused. Show these traits instead through examples.
  • Length: Keep your CV focused, ideally within one or two pages. Emphasise recent and relevant experience.

Top 5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Applying for Built Environment Jobs  – Advance TRS

Creating a standout CV in the built environment sector means focusing on structure, relevant skills, and clear achievements. Tailor each application to the role, use metrics to highlight your impact, and keep formatting clean and professional. By showing to hiring managers not just what you did, but how you contributed, you’ll improve your chances of securing an interview.

Need an up-to-date CV? Read our CV writing tips! – Advance TRS

For more career tips or to explore opportunities with Advance TRS, check out our latest jobs, here.

The infrastructure sector, whilst experiencing a surge in demand due to ongoing and upcoming projects, is also experiencing an increasingly prevalent situation of skills shortages – posing significant challenges for companies hoping to deliver projects on time and within budget.  

As industries like rail, construction, and energy expand, the demand for skilled professionals continues to outweigh supply, making it essential for businesses to partner with recruitment specialists who understand these unique challenges. At Advance TRS, we leverage our expertise and extensive network to help clients source the right talent in this tight market. 

Understanding the Challenge of Skills Shortages 

With the projects there and ready to be manned, the growth is hampered by a critical shortage of skilled professionals across various disciplines, including engineering, project management, and technical roles. The challenge is particularly acute in specialised fields such as signalling and telecommunications, civil engineering, and construction management, where qualified candidates are becoming increasingly difficult to find. 

Many companies are facing the realities of an aging workforce, coupled with a lack of new entrants into the industry. This creates a perfect storm, resulting in heightened competition for talent and delays in project delivery. To map out these turbulent waters, organisations need a recruitment partner that not only understands the nuances of the infrastructure landscape but also has the capability to tap into a broad talent pool. 

How Advance TRS Stands Out 

At Advance TRS, our deep industry knowledge and extensive professional network allows us to effectively bridge the gap between talent supply and demand. We take a consultative approach to recruitment, understanding each client’s specific needs and challenges, and tailoring our strategies accordingly. 

Leveraging Industry Expertise 

Our team consists of professionals with extensive experience in the built environment and infrastructure sectors – enabling us to identify candidates with the right skills and experience quickly. We focus not just on qualifications but also on cultural fit, ensuring that the talent we source aligns with our clients’ values and work environments. 

Sourcing Hard-to-Find Talent 

In recent projects, we have successfully sourced candidates for roles that are hard to fill, demonstrating our ability to navigate the skills shortage effectively. For instance, when a client in the rail sector needed a signalling design engineer, we leveraged our specialised network to identify a top candidate who had previously worked on major infrastructure projects. This individual possessed not only the technical skills required but also the experience necessary to integrate seamlessly into the client’s team. 

By approaching recruitment with a proactive mindset, we can often uncover talent that isn’t actively seeking new opportunities but is open to engaging in conversations about their next career move. 

Building a Sustainable Talent Pipeline 

Advance TRS is committed to not just filling immediate vacancies but also building sustainable talent pipelines for our clients. We work closely with educational institutions and industry bodies to promote careers in the built environment, aiming to attract new entrants into the workforce. Our initiatives include partnerships with universities and training programs, where we help nurture the next generation of skilled professionals. 

Our candidate engagement strategies ensure that we maintain strong relationships with potential candidates, keeping them up to date with industry trends and opportunities.  

As skills shortages continue to challenge the infrastructure sectors, Advance TRS remains dedicated to sourcing the right talent in a tight market. By combining our industry expertise with an extensive network and proactive recruitment strategies, we empower our clients to overcome these obstacles and achieve their project goals.

Partner with us to navigate the complexities of talent acquisition in today’s demanding environment and secure the skilled professionals you need to thrive, here!

When you think recruitment, high-energy sales environments, endless calls, and constant negotiation may spring to mind – however, whilst some of these aspects are indeed part of the job, there’s so much more to working in recruitment beginning with these 5 things you might not know about working in recruitment with us… 

1. It’s About Building Lasting Relationships, Not Just Filling Jobs 

At Advance TRS, recruitment is much more than matching candidates with job openings. It’s about creating partnerships and building trust with both clients and candidates. Our consultants work closely with industry leaders in sectors like rail, construction, and water & environment, helping them find skilled professionals for critical infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland. Our success comes from understanding each client’s unique needs and nurturing strong relationships that last. We’re not just filling roles; we’re helping shape successful teams and supporting long-term career growth for our candidates. 

Relationships: The Personal Touch in Recruitment 

2. You’ll Gain a Deep Understanding of the Built Environment Sector 

Advance TRS specialises in recruiting for key infrastructure markets such as energy, renewables, rail, transport, aviation, water, environment, highways, and construction, giving our consultants an in-depth look into these industries. Unlike other recruitment agencies, we offer specialist insights into technical roles, skill demands, and industry trends within the built environment. This focus on niche sectors means that every day, you’re learning something new about the industries that shape our world and will always be up to date with the emerging industry practices.  

3. Your Success is Our Priority with Comprehensive Training and Development 

We believe that investing in our team members is essential to delivering the best service to clients and candidates. At Advance TRS, we provide continuous training and development opportunities to support your growth, whether you’re an entry-level recruiter or an experienced consultant. From leadership training to skills development, we empower you to reach your career goals. Our focus on professional development means that working here isn’t just a job; it’s a pathway to personal and professional success. 

How We Help You Reach Your Goals at Advance TRS 

4. Our Core Values Drive Everything We Do 

Advance TRS is built on a foundation of strong core values that guide our approach to recruitment. Integrity, commitment, and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do. These values aren’t just words on a wall—they influence our daily interactions, our strategies, and our decision-making processes. Working here means joining a team that’s committed to delivering a quality service, upholding high standards, and building trust with our clients and candidates. It’s a culture of support and accountability that empowers each team member to perform at their best. 

Culture & Core Values: What Sets Advance TRS Apart – Advance TRS 

5. Focus on Work-Life Balance and Team Well-being 

As we mentioned at the start, recruitment can be fast-paced and high-energy, but at Advance TRS, we recognise the importance of work-life balance. Our company culture supports a healthy balance, with flexibility and an understanding that well-being is key to long-term success. We also enjoy social events, team outings, and charitable initiatives that bring us together as a team and allow us to give back to the community. From tackling marathons for charity to celebrating team milestones, there’s always something happening to keep our team motivated and engaged. 

Health & Wellbeing at Advance TRS  – Advance TRS 

Working in recruitment at Advance TRS offers a unique combination of personal growth, industry knowledge, and a supportive team environment. Whether you’re just starting out in recruitment or looking to take the next step in your career, Advance TRS is a place where you can make a real impact, build meaningful relationships, and grow alongside a passionate team. 

Interested in joining us? Discover more about career opportunities with Advance TRS and take the next step towards a fulfilling career in recruitment, here. 

At Advance TRS, we understand that each person’s career journey is different, and we’re committed to supporting our team members as they work towards their professional goals. Through dedicated career coaching, structured mentorship programs, and personalised development plans, we empower our staff to grow and excel in their roles.  

Our approach isn’t a one-size-fits-all model; instead, we work closely with each team member to create a tailored roadmap that aligns with their ambitions and strengths, helping them thrive in a rewarding and challenging career. 

Career Coaching 

Career coaching is a key part of how we support development at Advance TRS. Our experienced leaders work with team members to identify strengths, overcome challenges, and set realistic, inspiring goals. Whether you’re looking to advance within your current role or explore new areas, career coaching provides the guidance and clarity needed to help you make confident, informed decisions about your future. 

The career coaching process is ongoing, ensuring that as your career evolves, so do the support and resources available to you. Through regular check-ins and constructive feedback, our coaches work closely with team members to address any obstacles, refine skills, and celebrate achievements. 

How Advance TRS Prepares You for Leadership Roles  – Advance TRS

Learning from Our Leaders 

Mentorship is another cornerstone of our approach to career development. Our team of experienced professionals offer valuable insights, practical advice, and encouragement to new team members, helping them gain new perspectives and build the skills necessary to excel in their roles. 

Our team are passionate about sharing their expertise and helping new team members grow within the company. Through this guidance, team members not only develop professionally but also build meaningful connections with their colleagues. This supportive network fosters an environment where everyone can learn from each other, contributing to a collaborative culture that strengthens the team as a whole. 

Personalised Development Plans 

Recognising that each team member’s career path is unique, we prioritise personalised development plans as part of our commitment to growth. These plans are designed in collaboration with the individual, allowing us to create a tailored strategy that reflects their aspirations and career goals. By setting clear objectives and actionable steps, our personalised development plans ensure each team member has a roadmap for their journey with Advance TRS. 

Personalised development plans are flexible and dynamic, evolving with everyone’s career as they reach new milestones and identify new areas of interest – giving our team members control over their professional development, empowering them to shape their careers and pursue their goals with confidence. 

Empowering Your Growth with Advance TRS 

At Advance TRS, we’re dedicated to fostering an environment where team members can grow, succeed, and build long-lasting careers – ensuring that each person has the support, resources, and encouragement needed to reach their full potential. 

Experienced Recruitment Careers at Advance TRS

Ready to take the next step? Discover the opportunities we have available at Advance TRS and see how we can help you reach your career goals, here. 

With the likes of ChatGPT and other AI tools changing and reshaping the ways industries work – the recruitment industry hasn’t been left behind. Many are finding that these tools are streamlining processes, matching candidates to jobs faster, and providing valuable insights for hiring decisions without even opening a CV. However, at Advance TRS, we believe that while these advancements enhance efficiency, they should never replace the personal touch that defines effective recruitment. Relationships remain at the heart of our approach, and it’s this commitment to human connection that sets us apart. 

Why Relationships Matter in Recruitment 

In our experience, successful recruitment is built on trust, understanding, and genuine connections with people. Each candidate we work with has unique skills, experiences, and career aspirations, while each client brings a distinct vision, culture, and set of needs. This understanding drives us to look beyond just the technical requirements of a role or a candidate’s CV. By engaging with candidates and clients personally, we’re able to understand not only what they need but also what motivates them, creating a more accurate and meaningful fit. 

How We Build Strong Relationships With Our Clients

The Value of Human Connection in a world of AI 

As more tools appear and technology continues to advance, many recruitment tasks have become more automated, from applicant tracking systems to AI-driven candidate matching. These tools undoubtedly support the efficiency of recruitment processes, but they can lack the nuance that human relationships provide. For us, we see automation as a way to enhance our capabilities—not replace the personal interactions that are key to long-term success. 

By maintaining a people-first approach, our consultants can offer a supportive and responsive recruitment experience that technology alone cannot achieve. We focus on active listening and open communication, building relationships that last beyond a single placement. This dedication to personal engagement allows us to not only meet immediate needs but also support clients and candidates as their goals and circumstances evolve. 

Why We Prioritise the Personal Touch 

For our team, recruitment is not simply about filling a vacancy; it’s about fostering a mutually beneficial relationship. By investing in each connection, we offer a consultative service that helps candidates and clients alike navigate the complexities of today’s job market. When candidates join our network, they know they’re not just numbers in a database; they are valued individuals whose aspirations and concerns matter to us. The same goes for our clients, who appreciate the consultative support we offer as they grow their teams with skilled professionals who are committed to their vision. 

How Relationships Impact Quality of Service 

Our consultative approach enables us to better support our clients and candidates, ensuring we place the right people in the right roles every time. Through building these relationships, we have seen candidates return to us when they are ready to make their next career move, and clients repeatedly trust us with their hiring needs. This strong network underscores the reputation of Advance TRS as a recruitment consultancy that delivers an honest, quality service and a personal commitment to every relationship we form. 

Building Connections for the Future 

As recruitment continues to evolve, the personal touch remains an essential aspect of our work. We are committed to maintaining and growing our network through genuine relationships, helping us better serve both candidates and clients. Human connection is something tech can enhance, but never replace, and it’s what continues to make recruitment meaningful to us and valuable to those we serve. 

Ready for a recruitment experience where relationships come first? See how Advance TRS can help you achieve your career or hiring goals today, here. 

In a competitive job market, having opportunities to grow into leadership roles is essential for career-focused professionals. At Advance TRS, we support ambitious team members in building the skills and experience necessary to succeed in management roles, empowering them to advance within our company. Here’s how we help our employees develop as leaders and grow their careers. 

Clear Career Progression Paths 

For team members aiming to advance, we outline clear steps for career progression within Advance TRS. These paths provide guidance on the skills and competencies necessary for different roles, including leadership positions. By ensuring transparency in the steps needed to progress, we help our team members understand the requirements and reach their goals effectively. 

Experienced Recruitment Careers at Advance TRS 

Professional Development Opportunities 

Advance TRS is committed to helping staff continuously enhance their skills, offering a range of development opportunities suited to both aspiring leaders and experienced professionals. Our approach may include tailored coaching programmes, courses, or other resources to ensure team members are ready to take on the responsibilities that come with leadership roles. 

Mentorship and Guidance from Senior Leaders 

Our leaders are dedicated to supporting the growth of each team member. Senior leaders provide guidance and mentorship to help employees achieve their professional aspirations, whether that’s through formal mentoring or regular check-ins with weekly 1to1s and monthly’s. By sharing insights and advice, our leaders offer valuable support, helping team members navigate their career journey. 

An Environment that Encourages Growth 

A supportive culture is essential for anyone looking to advance in their career, and at Advance TRS, we work hard to create an environment that encourages learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Our team members are encouraged to take on new challenges, lead projects, and actively participate in initiatives that build their experience and confidence. 

Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Career? 

Advance TRS is committed to empowering our team members to achieve their career goals and realise their potential. We provide the structure, support, and opportunities needed to grow into leadership roles within our team. 

Interested in a career with growth opportunities? Explore our available roles and see how we can help take your career to the next level, here. 

In a fast-evolving industry such as engineering – many professionals worry that a career gap might hinder any potential jobs. However, taking time away from work is becoming increasingly common and can offer new skills and perspectives. Whether your gap was due to family responsibilities, personal health, or a chance to pursue other interests- we’re here to help you effectively address your time away and set yourself up for success in your return to the industry! Here are some strategies to help you explain your career gap and improve your employability as you re-enter the workforce. 

Be Transparent and Confident When Explaining Gaps 

When discussing a career gap, honesty is crucial. Employers always appreciate transparency, and you don’t need to go into every detail. Instead, focus on briefly explaining the reason for your break and then emphasise your eagerness to rejoin the engineering field. 

For example, you could say something on the lines of: “I took a year off to focus on personal development and I’m now motivated and ready to bring my renewed focus and skills back to engineering.”  

This approach shows that you acknowledge the gap positively but shifts the conversation to what you’re currently looking forward to in your career. 

Transferable Skills 

Even if you weren’t working in an engineering role during your time off, there are often valuable skills you can bring from other experiences. Think about whether you engaged in any project work, freelance tasks, or had any community involvement that developed skills relevant to engineering roles, such as project management, leadership, or problem-solving. 

Highlighting these transferable skills on your CV and in interviews can make a big difference. For example, if you worked on personal projects, managed a home renovation, or led a community initiative – emphasise the ways in which those responsibilities have prepared you for this next role. 

Top 5 In-Demand Engineering Skills 2025 

Upskill or Reskill with Certifications 

Staying up to date on the latest industry practices can show potential employers your commitment to advancing in your field. There are many certifications and training options available that can help bridge any skills gap from your time away. Consider popular courses and certifications available to you online or in person, doing any health and safety certifications, or software courses related to industry-standard tools. 

Taking these courses not only updates your technical knowledge but also demonstrates your adaptability—a valuable trait in any engineering role. 

Networking  

Re-establishing connections in the industry is essential for returning after a gap. Reach out to former colleagues, mentors, or contacts in the field, and attend industry events or conferences. Online platforms like LinkedIn and engineering-specific forums can be useful for expanding your professional network as well. 

Attending these kinds of events or participating in online discussions keeps you informed about industry developments, helping you to feel more prepared as you look for new opportunities. 

Leveraging Online Platforms for Digital Networking – Advance TRS 

Consider Contract or Project-Based Work 

A contract or project-based role can be a good way to ease back into the workforce. These roles often provide the flexibility to start rebuilding your skills and confidence in a structured environment while allowing you to decide if you’re ready for a permanent position later on. 

As a specialist recruitment consultancy in the built environment, Advance TRS has access to a variety of project roles that are perfect for those looking to rebuild momentum in their careers. Contracting can be a great way to demonstrate your expertise, adapt to new industry standards, and work on high-impact projects. 

Contractor vs. Permanent Roles in the Built Environment 

Contract Roles at Advance TRS 

Ready to Get Back on Track? 

Navigating a career gap may seem challenging, but with a few proactive strategies, you can position yourself as a confident, capable and candidate ready to take on the next opportunity. If you’re looking for support in your return to engineering, our team at Advance TRS is here to help. We understand the unique challenges of a career gap and are dedicated to matching skilled engineers with roles that suit their experience and aspirations. 

Experienced in engineering and ready to rejoin the workforce? Explore our current roles, here! 

At Advance TRS, we pride ourselves on being more than just a recruitment service. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our role as a consultative partner for our clients, ensuring that we deliver tailored, high-quality recruitment solutions while building strong, long lasting relationships. Here’s how our consultative approach sets us apart and allows us to provide an exceptional experience to our clients. 

A Client-Centric Approach 

Our consultative approach begins with truly understanding our clients’ needs. We don’t just aim to fill vacancies—we partner with each organisation to grasp the unique requirements, challenges, and goals of their business. By getting to know our clients at a deeper level, we can offer tailored solutions that ensure a perfect match between the roles and the professionals we recommend. 

Through ongoing conversations and close collaboration, we become an extension of our clients’ teams, offering strategic insights and advice to help shape their recruitment strategy. This enables us to anticipate their needs, adapt to market trends, and deliver value that goes beyond the hiring process. 

High Quality Service Every Step of the Way 

At Advance TRS, we understand that quality matters. From the moment we engage with a client, our focus is on delivering exceptional service throughout the entire recruitment journey. We adhere to rigorous standards of quality, ensuring that every candidate we put forward meets not only the technical qualifications but also aligns with the company culture and long-term objectives. 

This dedication to quality ensures that we’re placing candidates who are not just the right fit for the role but also for the organisation. Our commitment to providing high quality service builds trust with our clients and strengthens our relationship with them over time. 

Culture & Core Values: What Sets Advance TRS Apart – Advance TRS 

Building Long Lasting Relationships 

For Advance TRS, success is measured by the relationships we build. We value long-term partnerships with our clients, seeing ourselves as more than just a recruitment service provider. By maintaining open communication and delivering consistent results, we ensure that our relationships with clients grow stronger over time. 

Our consultative partnership model allows us to remain engaged with clients even after placements are made. We follow up to ensure that both the candidate and the employer are thriving, providing ongoing support and adjusting if necessary. This proactive approach builds confidence in our services and allows us to retain lasting, trusted relationships with our clients. 

Experience the Difference of a Consultative Partner 

Advance TRS isn’t just about providing recruitment solutions—it’s about partnering with you to drive long-term success. As a consultative partner, we work closely with our clients to understand their needs and goals, ensuring a seamless and collaborative recruitment process. Our client-centric approach, high-quality service, and commitment to building lasting relationships set us apart. 

Experience the difference of a consultative partner – find out more about the services we offer, here. 

We are excited to announce that on 27th November, Sam Riley, Recruitment Consultant at Advance TRS and Executive External Engagement Lead at Young Rail Professionals (YRP), will be hosting a YRP event in London, exploring the transformative power of Virtual Reality (VR) and Digital AI in the rail industry. The event, which is free for YRP members, promises an engaging and informative session, delving into the future of rail technology.

Sam has been a driving force in organising this event, bringing together industry professionals and innovative technology. On the day, he will be joined by Mark Robinson, Managing Director of Chrome Angel – a company at the forefront of digital transformation within rail. Mark’s extensive career and expertise in VR and AI will offer invaluable insights into how these technologies are reshaping rail engineering and operations.

Sam Riley

Sam Riley has made significant strides in both of his roles, specialising in recruiting skilled professionals across digital engineering, cybersecurity, software, and systems engineering, particularly within the rail, defence, aviation, and other public sectors.

He has been instrumental in fostering partnerships between rail organisations and the YRP, promoting collaboration and supporting the development of young talent. Sam’s journey in the rail sector is a testament to his dedication, and hosting this event further highlights his commitment to advancing both recruitment and digital engineering within the rail industry.

Mark Robinson: VR & Digital AI in Rail

Mark Robinson, Managing Director at Chrome Angel, brings over 30 years of expertise in the rail industry. From his early career at London Underground to his role at Chrome Angel, Mark has championed the adoption of cutting-edge technologies in rail. Chrome Angel is known for its work in VR & AR, machine learning, remote monitoring, and data analytics, all designed to improve rail operations and asset management.

Attendees at the event will also have the exciting opportunity to experience Chrome Angel’s Rail Simulator equipment, including VR headsets and iPads, giving a real-world application of how these technologies can enhance the rail industry.

Why Attend?

This event will provide attendees with:

  • Expert insights into VR and AI applications in rail
  • Hands-on experience with advanced simulator equipment
  • Opportunities to network with industry professionals and peers
  • A look into how digital engineering is shaping the future of rail

This event is a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and explore how technology is transforming rail.

Register Now

Spaces are limited, so be sure to secure your spot for this exciting event, here!

At Advance TRS, we understand that recruitment is about more than just placing candidates into roles and there are different career paths to explore. Behind every successful placement and client partnership, there is a diverse team of business services professionals working in roles that are critical to our operations and keeping the business running smoothly. Allowing our recruiters to focus on what they do best—connecting top talent with exciting opportunities!

In this blog, we delve into the wide range of alternative career paths within the business services team at Advance TRS, aside from a career in recruitment. From finance and compliance to marketing and HR – whilst recruiters are often the face of the business, these roles make an impact behind the scenes and are essential to the success of the company, offering exciting opportunities.

Key Roles in the Business Services Team:

Finance and Payroll

    The Advance TRS payroll team take care of the payroll for both Advance TRS and our sister company CITILINE – from contractor onboarding to looking after client accounts and credit control. Each team member plays an important role in making this as seamless as possible for candidates, contractors and clients.

    Whilst also internally, managing everything from employee payroll to invoicing clients and keeping the company’s finances in check.

    Get To Know Our Payroll Team

    Marketing and HR

      Playing a key role in both the external image of Advance TRS and the internal culture, from running impactful campaigns to ensuring a positive employee experience, our marketing and HR team is integral to making Advance TRS a great place to work and a trusted brand for clients and candidates alike.

      From fun TikTok’s to keeping the Advance TRS LinkedIn updated with the latest Hot Jobs and company news – our marketing team is responsible for driving brand visibility and generating leads. Whilst our HR team takes care of all things employee engagement, events, well-being, talent acquisition, and professional development within the company.

      Advance TRS LinkedIn

      Instagram

      TikTok

      Compliance

      In an industry as regulated as the built environment and recruitment, compliance is crucial. Our Compliance team ensures that Advance TRS adheres to all legal and regulatory standards, manages contracts, and ensures all candidate and client documentation is in order. They are responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the company and making sure every transaction is fully compliant with industry rules.

      Recruitment Compliance

      Sales Support

      The Sales Support team is the engine behind the scenes that enables our recruitment consultants to focus on delivering exceptional service to clients and candidates. They handle administrative tasks, ensure the accuracy of client and candidate data, and assist with the logistical aspects of recruitment. Without them, our consultants wouldn’t be able to perform at their best.

      Careers at Advance TRS

      HSQE, Bids & Audits

      Our Health and Safety, Bids & Audits team look after the safety and wellbeing of contractors and internal employees, supporting us to stay healthy and supported throughout our work. The team are also responsible for maintaining company policies and procedures and processes to maintain our RISQs certification and ISO 9001, 27001 and 45001 accreditations. Our bids team support the sales team to ensure all sales pitches, supplier questionnaires, bids and tenders are accurate and evidenced.

      Opportunities for Growth and Development

      Just like our recruitment team, the Business Services team has access to a range of professional development opportunities. We invest in our people, offering training programs and clear career progression paths to help you grow and advance in your career. Whether you want to move into management or develop a specialization, we’ll support your journey.

      A Supportive, Inclusive Environment

      We’re proud of the inclusive culture we’ve built at Advance TRS, where all team member’s contributions are valued. Whether you’re in recruitment or business services, we make sure everyone feels part of the team and that their work is recognised and appreciated.

      Meet the team at Advance TRS

      Interested in a career outside of recruitment? Explore our current opportunities, here.

      In the fast-paced world of recruitment, the ability to understand clients’ needs are essential. For sales professionals, this is second nature—your ability to build relationships and tailor solutions is exactly what makes you an asset in recruitment. This blog explores how your client-centric skills can seamlessly transfer into recruitment, helping you thrive in a new field. 

      The Power of Client-Centric Solutions

      Sales professionals thrive on client relationships, often spending considerable time understanding their clients’ unique challenges, goals, and dynamics. This client-focused mindset is directly transferable to recruitment. Just as salespeople tailor their offerings to meet client needs, recruitment consultants must actively listen and adapt their strategies to deliver the best talent solutions. 

      By leveraging insights gathered from client interactions, recruitment professionals can offer bespoke solutions that resonate with client expectations. This consultative approach fosters trust, allowing recruiters to act as strategic partners rather than just service providers. 

      Delivering Value Beyond Candidate Placement

      In recruitment, delivering value means not only finding suitable candidates but also enhancing the overall hiring experience for clients. A recruiter who understands the nuances of a client’s industry, company culture, and specific requirements can provide invaluable insights that go beyond a standard candidate search. 

      For instance, understanding whether a client prioritises cultural fit, technical expertise, or leadership potential can inform how recruiters present candidates. This tailored approach results in higher satisfaction rates for clients and candidates alike, leading to successful placements and long-term partnerships. 

      The Consultative Approach to Recruitment

      A consultative recruitment approach involves ongoing communication and collaboration between recruiters and clients. By asking the right questions and encouraging open dialogue, recruiters can uncover deeper insights into the client’s needs. 

      Sales professionals are skilled at asking probing questions to understand the full context of a client’s requirements. By applying this technique in recruitment, they can better assess which candidates will align with the client’s expectations, ultimately leading to successful outcomes. 

      Ready to Transition Your Skills to Recruitment?

      Are you a sales professional ready for a new challenge? Your ability to understand client needs, build relationships, and deliver tailored solutions is highly transferable to recruitment. At Advance TRS, we recognise the value of your experience and are ready to help you make the transition. 

      Explore our current openings and discover how you can apply your client-centric expertise to connect top talent with leading organisations. 

      Join us today and take the next step in your career – view our current opportunities, here. 

      At Advance TRS, we believe that success isn’t just about delivering exceptional recruitment services—it’s about making a lasting, positive impact on the communities we serve. As a rapidly growing recruitment consultancy, we are committed to giving back through various charitable and community-focused initiatives. Whether it’s volunteering our time, raising funds for important causes, or sponsoring local events, we’re passionate about making a difference. 

      Volunteering: Giving Time to Make a Difference 

      We believe that everyone has the power to contribute to their community, and we actively encourage our team to get involved through volunteering. From participating in charity events to supporting local causes, our employees are dedicated to making a difference beyond the workplace. Volunteering provides our team with an opportunity to give back while building strong connections with their colleagues and the local community. 

      Charity Fundraising: Raising Funds for Causes That Matter 

      Our commitment to charity is one of the core values that define Advance TRS. Over the years, we have proudly raised over £100,000 for various charities, including Railway Children, Water Aid, and Macmillan Cancer Support. We’ve taken part in an array of fundraising challenges, from Tough Mudder’s and fire walks to mountain climbs and marathons. These events not only help raise vital funds for important causes but also foster a sense of camaraderie and team spirit within our business. 

      Whether we’re riding 100 miles for charity or doing a sponsored walk, we are always looking for new and exciting ways to support the charities we care about. And our ambition doesn’t stop here—we’re eager to continue growing our charitable efforts and raise even more in the years to come. 

      Advance TRS Take on the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

      Local Sponsorships: Supporting Our Community 

      We’re also passionate about supporting local organisations and events through sponsorships. By partnering with local businesses, schools, and sports teams, we aim to foster long-term relationships that benefit our community. Our sponsorship efforts provide essential funding for local projects and create opportunities for young people and community groups to grow and thrive. 

      Recap of Advance TRS 2023 Charity Events

      Training Opportunities: Building Skills in the Community 

      At Advance TRS, we’re not only focused on recruitment but also on nurturing talent and offering training opportunities to help individuals in our community develop valuable skills. We offer work experience placements, training programmes, and opportunities for young professionals to gain insight into the recruitment industry. By investing in people, we aim to create a lasting positive impact that helps build stronger, more resilient communities. 

      Training & Development: Empowering you to grow at Advance TRS

      Help Us Make a Difference 

      At Advance TRS, we’re proud of the impact we’ve made in our local communities, and we’re always looking for new ways to expand our reach. Whether through volunteering, charity fundraising, local sponsorships, or providing training opportunities, we’re dedicated to making a real difference. 

      Want to be part of a team that makes a difference? Explore careers at Advance TRS.

      Are you an experienced recruiter looking for the next challenge in your career? At Advance TRS, we provide a unique opportunity to elevate your career with your experienced recruitment expertise by offering access to major projects, working alongside a high-performing team, and leadership roles within a company known for its integrity and quality. 

      Why Choose Advance TRS? 

      As a leading specialist recruitment consultancy in the built environment, Advance TRS supports ambitious recruiters in taking their careers to the next level. Here’s why seasoned professionals should consider joining our team: 

      1. Higher Earning Potential 

      Advance TRS values the experience and skills that you bring to the table. With competitive packages and an uncapped commission structure, your hard work is directly reflected in your earning potential. We understand the importance of rewarding top performers and ensuring you are well compensated for your contributions. 

      Work For Us 

      2. Access to Big Projects 

      Our team works on some of the largest and most exciting infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland. With clients in sectors such as construction, rail, highways, water, and energy, recruiters at Advance TRS can work on high-profile placements that shape the future of key projects in the built environment. This exposure enables you to grow your expertise while connecting with some of the industry’s most influential organisations. 

      Our Sectors 

      3. Career Progression 

      We believe in empowering our staff to achieve their full potential. At Advance TRS, we offer clear pathways for career progression, whether you’re looking to step into a leadership role or deepen your expertise in a specialised recruitment sector. You’ll be part of a company that is committed to continuous growth and development, giving you every opportunity to take on greater responsibility and achieve your career goals. 

      Meet Jake Rodger, leading our Rail Signalling and Digital Rail Division 

      4. High-Performing Teams 

      Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Our team of recruitment consultants is built around strong core values such as commitment, integrity, and collaboration. Working in top-performing teams means you’ll have the support and resources needed to succeed, surrounded by like-minded professionals who are just as passionate about delivering excellence. 

      Our Culture and Core Values: Joining a Values-Driven team at Advance TRS 

      5. Leadership Opportunities 

      For experienced recruiters ready to step into management, Advance TRS offers leadership opportunities where you can drive the success of your own team. Whether you’re building a niche sector or mentoring consultants that are just starting out, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make a lasting impact. 

      Meet the Team 

      Advance Your Recruitment Career Today 

      If you’re an experienced recruiter ready for more responsibility, higher earning potential, and the chance to work on big projects, Advance TRS is the place for you. Our focus on career progression and high-performance culture means there’s no limit to what you can achieve! 

      Experienced in recruitment? See how Advance TRS the roles we have available, here. 

      Whether you’re accepting a new job offer or seeking a raise in your current role, knowing how to negotiate a salary is essential. It can be intimidating, but with the right preparation and approach, you can secure a salary that reflects your value. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when negotiating a salary. 

      Do Your Research 

      Before entering any salary negotiation, it’s vital to know your market value. Research salary ranges for your role based on industry standards, your location, and your experience level. Websites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and industry-specific salary reports can provide valuable insights. Additionally, speaking to recruiters or industry professionals can give you a better understanding of what others in your field are earning. 

      By building up your knowledge base with data, you will be able to confidently present a reasonable figure and back it up with market trends. 

      Work with Your Recruitment Consultant 

      Partnering with a recruitment consultant can significantly strengthen your position during salary negotiations. As experts in the job market, they have access to up-to-date salary data and insights into what companies are willing to offer for roles like yours.  

      Your consultant can act as a valuable mediator, advocating for your desired compensation while maintaining a positive relationship with the employer. They can help frame your requests professionally, ensuring the negotiation process stays balanced and collaborative. Additionally, they’ll often know what benefits or perks are negotiable, allowing you to secure a better overall package. 

      Evaluate the Entire Compensation Package 

      When negotiating salary with a potential employer, remember that base salary is only part of the overall compensation package. Benefits such as bonuses, healthcare, pension contributions, holiday entitlement, flexible working, and even stock options can add substantial value. 

      If the employer’s budget is tight or they can’t meet your ideal salary, negotiating on these other aspects can make the overall offer more attractive. Be open to discussing the full package to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible. 

      Timing is Key 

      When joining a new company, the best time to negotiate salary is after you’ve received the job offer rather than beforehand. Employers expect negotiations at this stage, so it’s the perfect moment to raise your requests. 

      However, avoid bringing up salary too early in the interview process, as it can give the impression that you’re more focused on pay than the role itself. Let the employer see your enthusiasm for the position and wait until they’re keen to hire you before discussing money. 

      Understand Your Value to the Company 

      When a company is eager to hire you, it’s because they believe you will bring value to the team. Reflect on your unique skills, qualifications, and experience that set you apart from other candidates. Think about how you can solve problems for them or help them achieve their goals. This understanding strengthens your position during salary negotiations. 

      During the discussion, reference specific skills, accomplishments, or certifications that make you a strong fit for the role. This helps the employer see why paying a higher salary is a good investment in your potential. 

      Stay Flexible 

      While salary is a key part of the negotiation, flexibility in your approach can help you reach a better outcome. If the company can’t meet your salary expectations, consider negotiating other perks like professional development opportunities, career progression plans, or an earlier salary review. 

      You can also explore things like remote working options or reduced commuting expenses, which might improve your work-life balance and make the offer more attractive overall. 

      Negotiating your salary when joining a new company can be nerve-racking but by doing your research, understanding your value, and staying professional throughout the process, you’ll be in a strong position to secure a fair offer. Remember, the negotiation is a two-way conversation, and with the right approach, you can find a salary and benefits package that works for both you and your future employer. 

      Looking to change careers? Take a look at the roles we have available, here. 

      Are you ready to embark on an exciting and rewarding recruitment career? At Advance TRS, we offer entry-level opportunities for ambitious individuals looking to start their journey in the recruitment industry. With comprehensive training, mentorship, and fast-track career paths, we ensure that our resourcers have all the tools needed to succeed and thrive in their roles. 

      Why Start Your Recruitment Career with Advance TRS? 

      As a specialist recruitment consultancy in the built environment, we provide a platform for entry-level recruiters to gain invaluable experience and build successful careers. Here’s what you can expect from joining our team: 

      1. Skills Required for Success 

      Recruitment is a dynamic and people-centric career, requiring a combination of communication, organisation, and problem-solving skills. At entry-level, we look for individuals who are driven, resilient, and eager to learn. While no prior experience in recruitment is necessary, a passion for connecting people with opportunities and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment are key. 

      If you’re someone who enjoys building relationships and is motivated by results, recruitment could be the perfect career for you. 

      Advance TRS Core Values

      2. Training and Development 

      At Advance TRS, we believe in setting our new recruiters up for success from day one. Through our structured training and development programmes, you will learn the ins and outs of the recruitment process, from understanding client needs to mastering candidate management. We provide all the tools and resources you need to thrive, ensuring that you are fully equipped to start making an impact. 

      Our training is designed to fast-track your development, enabling you to quickly take on responsibilities and build your portfolio of clients and candidates. 

      Work for us

      3. Mentorship and Support 

      At Advance TRS, we understand the importance of guidance when starting a new career. That’s why we pair all our new starters with experienced mentors who provide continuous support and advice. Working alongside industry experts, you’ll gain insights into best practices and receive valuable feedback that will help you grow and develop as a consultant. 

      You won’t be doing it alone—our collaborative environment ensures that you’re supported every step of the way. 

      Meet the team

      4. Fast-Track Career Paths 

      We recognise and reward talent and ambition. For high-performing individuals, Advance TRS offers fast-track career paths that enable you to progress quickly through the ranks. Whether you aim to specialise in a particular sector or want to lead a team, there’s plenty of room for growth and progression within our company. We provide opportunities to take on more responsibility as you gain experience, helping you shape the career you want. 

      Meet Jake Rodger, leading our Rail Signalling and Digital Rail Division

      5. Career Progression in the Recruitment Industry 

      Starting your recruitment career at Advance TRS opens up a world of opportunities. With a solid foundation in recruitment, you can advance to roles such as Senior Consultant and Account Manager. As you build your expertise and client relationships, you’ll have the chance to influence major infrastructure projects and contribute to shaping the future of key industries across the UK and Ireland. 

      Could you turn a job in sales into a career in recruitment?

      Start Your Journey with Advance TRS 

      If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real impact, Advance TRS offers an exciting path with plenty of growth opportunities. With comprehensive training, mentorship, and the potential for rapid progression, this is your chance to build a rewarding career in recruitment! 

      Ready to start your journey in recruitment? Check out our positions, here. 

      At Advance TRS, we understand that strong relationships are the foundation of success in any field—particularly in both sales and recruitment. In both industries, the ability to build long-term, trusting relationships is what separates top performers from the rest. Whether it’s nurturing client relationships or connecting with candidates, the principles remain the same. 

      Do you have what it takes to use your relationship building skills to pursue a career in recruitment? Here are some of the transferrable skills you can use to boost your start in recruitment.  

      Long-Term Relationship Building

      In recruitment, just as in sales, developing relationships that stand the test of time is key. It’s not just about making one placement or closing one deal—it’s about cultivating partnerships that last for years. By understanding our clients’ needs and ensuring we maintain open communication, we can position ourselves as trusted advisors – which is the same when it comes to candidates. When we help professionals secure their ideal roles, we also build a network of skilled individuals who return to us when it’s time for their next career move. 

      Trust and Stakeholder Management

      Trust is at the heart of any successful relationship. Whether you’re working with clients, candidates, or internal stakeholders, trust ensures that people feel confident in your ability to deliver. Sales professionals often excel in this area because they understand the importance of clear communication, managing expectations, and always acting with integrity. In recruitment, these same qualities are crucial for building rapport with clients and candidates alike, ensuring that everyone feels valued and respected throughout the process. 

      Why Relationship Management Matters in Recruitment 

      At Advance TRS, we pride ourselves on creating long-lasting relationships that benefit both our clients and candidates. By taking the time to understand each parties goals and priorities, we ensure that we can consistently match top talent with the right opportunities. Our consultative approach to recruitment, built on trust and collaboration, is what sets us apart in the sectors we serve. 

      Great at building relationships? Use your expertise in recruitment—see the jobs we have available. 

      Navigating the job market in the built environment sector can be challenging. Partnering with a specialist recruitment consultancy like Advance TRS can make all the difference. Here’s how our expertise and services provide distinct advantages to help you find the right role.

      In-Depth Industry Knowledge

      At Advance TRS, our consultants have specialised knowledge across sectors in the built environment, including rail, construction, and engineering. We understand the nuances of these sectors, allowing us to match you with roles that perfectly fit your skills and career aspirations.

      Current Market Trends

      Our team keep up to date with the latest industry trends and demands. This means you receive valuable insights on emerging opportunities, in-demand skills, and market conditions, giving you a competitive edge in your job search.

      Personalised Service

      We take the time to understand your unique career goals, preferences, and strengths. By getting to know you and your professional background, we ensure that we match you with roles that align with your individual needs and ambitions.

      Access to Exclusive Opportunities

      Thanks to our strong industry connections, Advance TRS offers access to a wide range of job opportunities, including exclusive roles that aren’t advertised publicly. This gives you access to a broader spectrum of positions that might be a perfect fit for you.

      Efficient Job Search

      The recruitment process can be time-consuming and complex. We handle the legwork, from identifying suitable roles to preparing your CV and arranging interviews. This makes your job search more efficient and less stressful.

      Expert Advice and Support

      Our consultants provide expert advice on CV writing, interview preparation, and salary negotiations. We guide you through each step of the recruitment process, ensuring you present yourself effectively and secure the role that’s right for you.

      Career Development


      Working with Advance TRS isn’t just about finding a job; it’s about building a long-term career. We’re committed to your professional growth and providing you with ongoing support and advice as you advance in your career, helping you make informed decisions about future opportunities.

      Ongoing Support


      Even after you’ve secured a role, our support continues. We maintain relationships with both candidates and clients, offering continued assistance to ensure that you thrive in your new position and continue to grow professionally.

      Ready to Find Your Perfect Role?

      Partnering with a specialised recruitment consultancy like us provides you with expert knowledge, personalised job matching, and comprehensive support throughout the recruitment process. Let us help you navigate the job market and find the role that’s right for you.

      Explore the opportunities available on our website and take the next step in your career.

      Navigating the job market in the built environment sector can be challenging. To stand out in this competitive field, avoiding common application mistakes is crucial. Here’s a guide to the top 5 pitfalls and how to steer clear of them. 

      1. Not Tailoring Your CV and Cover Letter 

      Tip: Customise your application for each role. Highlight skills and experiences that align with the job description and company’s needs.  

      Pitfall number one is sending generic applications to employers. In the built environment sector, where roles can vary significantly, a tailored CV and cover letter are essential to demonstrate your fit and showcasing your skills for a specific job. 

      2. Overlooking Keywords in Job Descriptions 

      Tip: Use keywords from the job description in your CV and cover letter to improve your chances of passing the ATS screening.  

      Many applications are filtered by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that search for specific keywords. Failing to include these can result in your application being overlooked. 

      3. Lack of Clear Career Progression 

      Tip: Show a clear career path with relevant roles and projects that highlight your development and expertise.

      A CV that lacks a clear career trajectory can be confusing. Demonstrating how you’ve grown and specialised in your career is crucial in the built environment sector. 

      4. Inadequate Interview Preparation 

      Tip: Prepare for technical assessments with industry-specific questions and review common behavioural interview questions to showcase your fit for the role.  

      Technical and behavioural interviews are critical in the built environment sector. Insufficient preparation can impact your performance. 

      5. Poor Attention to Detail 

      Tip: Proofread your CV and cover letter multiple times and seek feedback from others to ensure accuracy and professionalism.  

      Errors in your application, such as typos or incorrect details, can undermine your professionalism. Attention to detail is key in a sector where precision matters. 

      How to Improve Your Chances of Success 

      • Research the Employer: Understand the company’s projects and values to tailor your application effectively. 
      • Network with Professionals: Build connections within the sector to gain insights and opportunities. 
      • Engage in Continuous Learning: Stay updated with industry trends and consider further training to enhance your skills. 
      • Seek Feedback: Get input on your CV and interview techniques to refine your approach. 

      By avoiding these common pitfalls and implementing these strategies, you can significantly improve your chances of landing a job in the built environment sector. Present a well-prepared, tailored application to stand out in this competitive field. 

      Follow us on LinkedIn to view our latest roles and opportunities, or sign up for our job alerts, here.  

      Choosing between contracting and a permanent role in the built environment can make a big difference to your career path and lifestyle. Both routes offer distinct advantages and challenges, making it crucial to consider which aligns best with your professional goals and personal preferences.

      Contractor Roles: Flexibility and Independence

      Pros:

      • Flexibility: Contracting in the built environment allows you to choose projects and set your own hours. This can be especially appealing for those who prefer varied work or wish to work remotely.
      • Higher Earning Potential: Contractors often have the opportunity to earn more per project compared to permanent roles, particularly if they have niche skills that are in high demand.
      • Diverse Experience: Working on different projects with various clients can provide a broad range of experience, from commercial buildings to infrastructure projects, enhancing your skills and portfolio.

      Cons:

      • Inconsistent Income: The variability in project availability can lead to fluctuating income, which might be challenging if you prefer financial stability.
      • Lack of Benefits: Contractors do not typically receive benefits such as health insurance, paid leave, or pension contributions that are common in permanent positions.
      • Administrative Burden: Contractors must manage their own business tasks, including taxes, contracts, and client negotiations, which can be time-consuming.

      Permanent Roles: Stability and Structured Growth

      Pros:

      • Job Security: Permanent roles offer more financial stability and job security, which can be reassuring, especially in sectors like construction or infrastructure where long-term projects are prevalent.
      • Career Development: Permanent positions often come with clear career progression pathways, training opportunities, and professional development, helping you advance within the company.
      • Company Benefits: In addition to a steady salary, permanent employees typically receive benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

      Cons:

      • Less Flexibility: Permanent roles usually involve set working hours and less freedom to choose projects or work remotely, which might not suit those seeking flexibility.
      • Potential Monotony: Working for one employer may limit the variety of projects you work on, which could be less appealing if you thrive on diverse experiences.

      Which Path Is Right for You?

      Deciding between a contractor and a permanent role largely depends on your personal and professional priorities. If you value flexibility, diverse experiences, and are comfortable with the administrative aspects of freelancing, it might be the right path for you. On the other hand, if you prefer stability, structured career development, and comprehensive benefits, a permanent role could be more suitable.

      Ready to explore your options?

      Check out the latest roles available in the built environment on our website and find the perfect opportunity that matches your career goals, whether you’re considering a contractor role or seeking a permanent position.

      At Advance TRS, our culture & core values aren’t just guidelines – we believe in them, and we recognise each of them in the way we act both with each other and with those we support.

      Building Trust Through Integrity

      For us, integrity is more than just a buzzword – it’s our promise. We commit to delivering only what we know we can achieve and take pride in being honest in every interaction. Whether we’re working with clients or supporting colleagues, transparency is key to building trust.

      We know that challenges arise, but we face them head-on with openness, giving realistic timelines and asking for help when needed. This culture of honesty drives our strong relationships both inside and outside the company.

      Dedication to Quality and Strong Connections

      We believe quality should never be compromised, and our commitment to high standards is what sets us apart. From sourcing the best candidates to ensuring a smooth onboarding process, our dedication to excellence is consistent at every step.

      Relationships are the foundation of our business. Whether it’s with clients, candidates, or colleagues, we work hard to build connections that last! This same dedication extends to how we treat each other within the team, ensuring everyone feels valued and empowered.

      Teamwork and Collaboration Lead to Success

      We’re strong believers that collaboration is key to achieving success. We work together—whether internally or alongside our clients—to meet shared goals. No two roles or projects are the same, so we take a tailored approach to ensure the best possible outcome for all parties.

      This culture of teamwork is what drives our ability to consistently deliver the right results, ensuring that we meet both client expectations and personal development goals.

      Our Values in Action

      What makes Advance TRS unique is how our core values and personal qualities are intertwined to form the basis of the Advance TRS DNA we look for in every recruit:

      DRIVEN, HARD-WORKING, FOCUSED, AMBITIOUS, OPTIMISTIC, SELF-MOTIVATED, PERSISTENT, CARING, FUN, COMMITTED  

      These traits, alongside our core values of Integrity, Loyalty, Quality, Commitment, and Honesty, create an environment where success thrives, both for the business and for our employees. It’s a place where you can grow, challenge yourself, and be supported every step of the way.

      Why Choose Us?

      We don’t just talk about our values—we live them every day. Our ability to align these principles with our performance ensures that we’re not only delivering outstanding service to our clients but also fostering a workplace where everyone can thrive.

      Want to work for a values-driven organisation? Explore the job opportunities we have available, here.

      In today’s competitive job market, traditional methods of job hunting are no longer sufficient. To stay ahead, job seekers must embrace digital tools and strategic networking to uncover hidden opportunities that may not be advertised on conventional job boards. Here’s how you can leverage digital networking effectively to enhance your job search:

      1. Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile

      LinkedIn remains a cornerstone for professional networking and job searching. To maximise its potential:

      • Complete Your Profile: Ensure your profile is comprehensive and up-to-date. Include a professional photo, a compelling headline, and a detailed summary of your skills and experiences.
      • Highlight Achievements: Showcase key achievements and relevant skills that align with your career goals and target industries, such as rail, water & environment, or energy & renewables.
      • Join Industry Groups: Engage with industry-specific groups and communities to expand your network. Participate in discussions, share insights, and connect with professionals who can offer valuable advice or job leads.

      Connect with Advance TRS on LinkedIn.

      2. Attend Virtual Events and Webinars

      In the era of remote work and virtual connectivity, attending online events is an excellent way to stay informed and network effectively:

      • Participate Actively: Register for virtual industry events, webinars, and conferences related to engineering and your specific job sectors. These events provide opportunities to learn about industry trends, advancements, and potential job openings.
      • Network Virtually: Take advantage of networking sessions during these events to connect with industry professionals, recruiters, and potential employers. Engage in conversations, ask questions, and exchange contact information to nurture valuable connections.

      3. Network Strategically

      Effective networking goes beyond online platforms—it involves building meaningful relationships:

      • Reach Out to Contacts: Leverage your existing network of alumni, colleagues, and industry contacts for informational interviews or casual coffee chats. These interactions can provide insights into company cultures, job roles, and potential opportunities.
      • Seek Referrals: Networking often leads to referrals for job openings that may not be publicly advertised. Building rapport with professionals in your industry increases your chances of receiving recommendations for suitable positions.

      4. Utilise Job Search Engines and Niche Websites

      While general job boards are useful, niche websites and specialised job search engines offer targeted opportunities:

      • Explore Niche Websites: Look for specialised job boards focusing on engineering sectors like rail, water & environment, bridges & highways, and more. These platforms often feature industry-specific vacancies that match your skills and interests.
      • Set Up Alerts: Create alerts on job search engines and niche websites to receive notifications about new job postings relevant to your expertise. This proactive approach ensures you stay informed about potential opportunities as soon as they become available.

      Register to receive the latest jobs straight to your inbox.

      View our latest jobs and opportunities on the Advance TRS job board.

      At Advance TRS, we understand the importance of digital networking in today’s job market. Explore our comprehensive resources and expert guidance to support your career advancement in rail, water & environment, energy & renewables, and beyond. Connect with us today to discover how we can empower you to seize hidden opportunities and achieve your professional goals.

      The Benefits of Working with a Recruitment Agency: A Guide for Technical Professionals

      Technical Job Interview Success Strategies

      Nurturing Careers, Securing Success: Our Candidate Care Package

      In today’s digital landscape, leveraging online platforms and networking strategically is essential for uncovering hidden job opportunities and advancing your career in engineering and specialised sectors. By optimising your LinkedIn profile, participating in virtual events, strategically networking with industry professionals, and exploring niche job boards, you can significantly enhance your job search effectiveness. At Advance TRS, we understand the importance of digital networking in today’s job market.

      Explore our comprehensive resources and expert guidance to support your career advancement in rail, water & environment, energy & renewables, and beyond. Connect with us today to discover how we can empower you to seize hidden opportunities and achieve your professional goals.

      Ready to take the next step in your career? Contact Advance TRS today and let us help you navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

      Your CV is more than just a document—it’s your first opportunity to make a lasting impression on recruiters and hiring managers. Tailoring your CV specifically for engineering and specialised sectors such as rail, water & environment, bridges & highways, energy & renewables, buildings & groundwork, or aviation is crucial to showcasing your relevant skills and experiences effectively. Here’s how you can craft a standout CV that sets you apart:

      1. Highlight Relevant Skills and Keywords

      In the competitive field of engineering and specialised sectors, recruiters often look for specific technical proficiencies, certifications, and project experiences. To ensure your CV catches their attention:

      • Identify Key Skills: Review job descriptions of positions you’re targeting to identify the essential skills and qualifications. These could include software proficiencies, technical expertise (e.g., CAD software, project management tools), and industry-specific knowledge.
      • Incorporate Keywords: Integrate these identified skills and keywords throughout your CV, especially in your summary, skills section, and experience descriptions. This not only aligns your CV with the job requirements but also helps with applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan CVs for relevant keywords.

      2. Quantify Achievements

      Numbers and metrics speak volumes in demonstrating your impact and achievements. When describing your work experiences:

      • Use Concrete Examples: Quantify your achievements with specific numbers and metrics wherever possible. For instance, highlight cost savings achieved through process improvements, percentage reductions in project timelines, or increases in efficiency and productivity.
      • Showcase Results: Illustrate how your contributions positively impacted previous employers or projects. Whether it’s completing projects under budget, exceeding performance targets, or successfully implementing solutions, quantify these achievements to substantiate your capabilities.

      3. Customise for Each Application

      Resist the urge to use a generic CV for multiple job applications. Instead:

      • Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV for each job application by emphasising skills, experiences, and achievements most relevant to the specific role and company. This tailored approach demonstrates your genuine interest and alignment with the employer’s needs.
      • Highlight Relevant Experience: Prioritise and showcase experiences that directly relate to the job requirements and industry focus. This targeted approach helps recruiters quickly see your suitability for the position.

      4. Professional Summary

      At the top of your CV, include a concise professional summary that serves as your elevator pitch:

      • Highlight Your Career Goals: Briefly outline your career objectives and aspirations within the engineering or specialised sectors. This helps recruiters understand your motivations and career trajectory.
      • Key Qualifications: Summarise your key qualifications, including your most relevant skills, certifications, and years of experience. This section provides a snapshot of your strengths and capabilities right from the start.

      At Advance TRS, our recruitment consultants are dedicated to helping you navigate the competitive job market with confidence. When you partner with an Advance TRS consultant, you gain access to expert guidance tailored to enhance your CV and maximize your job search success. Our consultants offer personalized support in identifying and highlighting your key skills, certifications, and industry-specific experience relevant to sectors such as rail, water & environment, bridges & highways, energy & renewables, buildings & groundwork, and aviation.

      They provide valuable insights into current industry trends and employer expectations, ensuring your CV stands out to recruiters and hiring managers. Moreover, working with a recruitment consultant at Advance TRS means you benefit from our extensive network of industry contacts and exclusive job opportunities. Whether you’re seeking career advice, interview preparation, or targeted job placements, our consultants are committed to empowering you throughout your professional journey. Partner with Advance TRS today and let us help you achieve your career goals with confidence and expertise.

      The Benefits of Working with a Recruitment Agency: A Guide for Technical Professionals

      Technical Job Interview Success Strategies

      Nurturing Careers, Securing Success: Our Candidate Care Package

      Crafting a standout CV tailored for engineering and specialised sectors requires a strategic approach that aligns your skills and experiences with the specific demands of the industry. By highlighting relevant skills, quantifying achievements, customising for each application, and including a compelling professional summary, you can significantly increase your chances of securing interviews and advancing your career goals.

      At Advance TRS, we understand the importance of a well-crafted CV in achieving career success. Explore our comprehensive resources and upskilling programs designed to support engineering professionals across rail, water & environment, bridges & highways, energy & renewables, buildings & groundworks and aviation, and more. Let us empower you to stand out in your job search journey and reach new heights in your career.

      Follow us on LinkedIn and view our latest roles and opportunities.

      Connect with us today to learn more about how we can help you craft a CV that makes a powerful impact.

      The Advance TRS team, including members Jake, Sam, Mike, Sissy, Lauren, Simon, Rob, Charlie, Alex, and Jake J, is preparing for the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race on 11th July. This exciting event aims to raise awareness and funds for WaterAid’s mission to provide clean water and hygiene education to those in need. 

      “Signing up for dragon boat race seemed like a great way to challenge myself, work in a team and raise money for an important cause”  

      Mike Buttler Recruitment Consultant 

      About the event  

      Dragon boat racing is a traditional Chinese sport that dates back over 2,000 years and is now one of the fastest-growing corporate sports in the UK. The WaterAid Dragon Boat Race is an exciting event that combines the thrill of competition with the mission of improving global access to clean water. Teams from various organizations come together to paddle towards victory while raising funds for WaterAid. These funds are crucial in supporting sustainable water projects and educating communities on hygiene practices. 

      How you can support  

      1. Donate: Contribute to their fundraising efforts. Every donation, big or small, brings WaterAid closer to achieving its goals.  
      1. Spread the word: Share their mission on social media to help raise awareness about the global water crisis and the importance of clean water and sanitation.  
      1. Cheer them on: Join the event on 11th July to support the Advance TRS team.  

      WaterAid  

      WaterAid is dedicated to addressing the global water crisis. Currently 771 million people lack access to clean water close to home, impacting education, livelihoods, and health. Supporting WaterAid through events like the Dragon Boat Race can transform lives and communities by providing essential water and hygiene solutions. Together, we can ensure that everyone has access to clean water, creating a healthier future for all.. Read more about the charity here  

      Advance TRS 

      At Advance TRS, our commitment to personal challenge and community support Is at the heart of our company. Under the leadership of our Founder and Managing Director, Andy, we have embraced fundraising as a core principle, raising over £85.000 for impactful charities like Railway Children and Action for Children.  

      We are actively seeking new team members! Visit our “Work for Us” page to explore the exciting opportunities we currently have available.  

      Join us in supporting the Advance TRS team at the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race and contribute to a cause that brings clean water and hope to millions around the world. 

      Navigating the job market as a technical professional can be challenging, whether you’re a seasoned engineer or just starting your career in the technical field. Recruitment agencies offer a unique set of advantages that can streamline your job search and provide valuable support throughout the process. At Advance TRS, we understand the specific needs of technical professionals, and our tailored recruitment services can help you find your ideal role. Here’s why working with a recruitment agency can be a game-changer for your career.

      1. Expert Insights into the Recruitment Process

      Recruitment agencies like Advance TRS have a deep understanding of the hiring landscape in various technical industries. Our consultants are experts in their fields and can guide you through every step of the recruitment process. From resume preparation to interview coaching, we offer personalised advice to help you stand out to potential employers. With our expertise, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complexities of the job search.

      2. Access to Exclusive Job Opportunities

      One of the most significant benefits of working with a recruitment agency is access to a broader range of job opportunities. Agencies often have established relationships with leading companies and receive job openings that may not be publicly advertised. This gives you an edge in finding unique positions that match your skills and career aspirations. Whether you’re seeking contract work, permanent placements, or executive roles, a recruitment agency can connect you with positions you might not find on your own.

      Find out more about our exclusive partnership with Alstom.

      3. Tailored Career Guidance

      Recruitment agencies offer more than just job placements; they provide ongoing career guidance to help you achieve your professional goals. At Advance TRS, our consultants take the time to understand your career aspirations and work with you to identify suitable opportunities. We offer support in developing your career path, identifying areas for skill enhancement, and providing feedback for continuous improvement. Our goal is to help you build a successful and fulfilling career.

      Check out some of our advice articles:

      4. Streamlined Job Matching

      Recruitment agencies use advanced tools and technology to match candidates with suitable job openings. This means you spend less time searching for roles and more time preparing for interviews and honing your skills. Our streamlined job matching process ensures that you receive relevant job offers that align with your experience, qualifications, and career goals.

      5. Reduced Stress and Time Savings

      Searching for a job can be time-consuming and stressful. Working with a recruitment agency can alleviate this burden by handling much of the job search process on your behalf. At Advance TRS, we manage job applications, interview scheduling, and offer negotiations, allowing you to focus on preparing for your new role. This level of support can significantly reduce stress and save you valuable time.

      Experience the Advance TRS Difference

      If you’re a technical professional looking for your next career move, Advance TRS is here to help. Our team of experienced consultants specializes in technical recruitment and is dedicated to helping you find the perfect role.

      Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can support your career journey.

      Follow us on LinkedIn for more career advice and opportunities.

      In the dynamic world of technical recruitment within the built environment, industry professionals often encounter unique challenges that require innovative solutions. Navigating the complexities of identifying, attracting, and retaining top-tier technical talent demands a strategic approach. In this blog post, we delve into the common challenges faced in technical recruitment and explore actionable solutions to address these issues.

      Talent Shortage in Specialised Areas – Foster Skills Development Initiatives and Look for Transferrable Skills

      The shortage of qualified candidates in specialised technical areas can hinder recruitment efforts. To overcome this challenge, companies can invest in skills development initiatives. Collaborate with educational institutions, offer training programs, and support certifications to build a pipeline of skilled professionals.

      At Advance TRS, when collaborating with clients on specialised and underrepresented skill sets, our approach involves a consultative partnership with both the hiring community and HR teams. We aim to discern market constraints and challenges, offering tailored solutions that address these issues by delving into the fundamental requirements for each role. Our team engages in discussions to broaden the talent pool by exploring options such as role adjustments, balancing both soft skills and experience, identifying transferable skills, and considering talent from related industries. The goal is to cultivate a community of prospective talent by proactively addressing market dynamics and fostering inclusivity in recruitment practices.

      Competing for Top Talent – Strengthen Employer Branding

      Attracting the best technical talent often involves fierce competition. Strengthen your employer brand by showcasing the exciting projects your company is involved in, emphasising a positive workplace culture, and highlighting career advancement opportunities. An attractive employer brand can significantly increase the appeal of your organisation.

      For our clients seeking elevated service levels, Advance TRS offers bespoke employer branding packages tailored to individual requirements. These comprehensive packages encompass a range of options, from dedicated employer mini-sites to impactful PR campaigns and meticulously planned recruitment events. Functioning as your dedicated talent partner, Advance TRS serves as your representative in the talent market, effectively showcasing your brand as an employer of choice.

      Our team goes beyond the surface, investing time to comprehend your business culture, values, employee offerings, project pipeline and career development opportunities. This holistic understanding allows us to authentically represent your business, ensuring we not only meet your skill requirements but also find candidates who seamlessly align with your organisational culture.

      Lengthy Recruitment Processes – Streamline and Optimise Recruitment Processes

      Lengthy and cumbersome recruitment processes can deter potential candidates. Streamline and optimise your recruitment processes by utilising technology, implementing efficient applicant tracking systems, and minimising unnecessary stages. A swift and well-organised process enhances the candidate experience and increases the likelihood of securing top talent.

      At Advance TRS, our commitment extends beyond connecting clients with top-tier talent – we actively support organisations in streamlining and optimising their recruitment processes. We leverage advanced technologies, implement effective applicant tracking systems, and strategically minimise unnecessary stages in the recruitment journey.

      By doing so, we enhance the overall candidate experience, making the process more transparent, responsive, and engaging. Our goal is to not only attract top talent but also ensure that the recruitment process itself becomes a positive reflection of our clients’ organisations. Through these efforts, we increase the likelihood of securing the most qualified candidates, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between our clients and the top-tier talent they seek to attract.

      Find out how Advance TRS can help you overcome challenges in technical recruitment

      Top of FormReady to revolutionise your technical recruitment strategy and overcome industry challenges? Explore the full spectrum of solutions offered by Advance TRS through our comprehensive client service offerings. From talent acquisition strategies to skills development initiatives, we’re dedicated to helping you navigate the intricacies of technical recruitment in the built environment.

      Uncover the power of innovative solutions and strategic insights by delving into our client service offerings. Reach out to our expert team.

      Chris Spurdle is our Business Development Manager, get in touch to discuss how Advance TRS can elevate your recruitment process and unlock unparalleled success in securing top-tier technical talent.

      Advance TRS is a proud member of the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that empowers small to medium sized companies to take climate action and build more resilient businesses. Through the SME Climate Hub, we commit to lowering our impact on the environment through authentic action, halving our emissions by 2030. In making the commitment, we have joined the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.

      At Advance TRS Ltd., we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment and are committed to taking meaningful actions to address climate change. Our commitment is grounded in a set of specific goals and milestones that reflect our dedication to sustainability. By adhering to the following targets, we strive to contribute to a more sustainable future:

      SME Climate Hub Membership: We have joined the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that aligns small and medium-sized enterprises with the goals of the Paris Agreement. By doing so, we commit to actively participate in collaborative efforts to mitigate climate change and foster sustainable practices within our operations.

      Signed the Climate Pledge by December 2024: By December 2024, Advance TRS Ltd. commits to signing the Climate Pledge, signaling our commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and actively working towards a sustainable and resilient future. This pledge reinforces our dedication to environmental stewardship and aligns us with global efforts to combat climate change.

      Set Science-Based Targets by December 2024: We recognize the importance of sciencebased targets in driving meaningful change. By December 2024, Advance TRS Ltd. will establish and communicate science-based targets, ensuring that our emissions reduction goals are in line with what is necessary to limit global temperature rise and contribute to a low-carbon economy.

      Archived ISO14001 Certification by December 2025: Environmental management is a cornerstone of our sustainability efforts. By December 2025, we commit to achieving and maintaining ISO14001 certification, demonstrating our commitment to systematically managing our environmental impact and continuously improving our environmental performance.

      Achieved Carbon Neutral Status by December 2027: We understand the urgency of addressing climate change, and by December 2027, we aspire to achieve Carbon Neutral Status. Through a combination of emissions reduction measures and offsetting initiatives, we aim to balance our carbon footprint, contributing to the global effort to stabilize and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

      As members of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, we are working through online learning resources surrounding various sustainability, offsite, BIM, lean and management topics relevant to the built environment to further our company and staff knowledge. Our team are able to gain CPD points by attending training workshops, networking events or completing e-learning modules.

      Find out more about our memberships, professional accreditations and certifications or our commitment to delivering our service responsibly.

      As we move into the new year it is a perfect time to hit the reset button and focus on what matters both personally and professionally. Setting goals not only gives us a roadmap for the year ahead but also provides motivation.  

      The recruitment industry is forever evolving. Next year provides you with the perfect opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changing dynamics.

      Benefits of setting personal and professional goals for well-being

      Promotes a healthy work-life balance.

      This approach encourages you to prioritize aspects of life beyond professional achievements, striking this balance is crucial for overall wellbeing and helps prevent burnout.

      Enhance emotional well-being.

      Working towards and achieving personal goals provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment. This contributes to improved emotional well-being, reducing feelings of dissatisfaction. Achieving the set personal goals can lead to a more fulfilled and positive outlook.

      Clarity and Focus

      Setting personal goals provides clarity about what truly matters to us in life, it helps us identify our values and aspirations. This clarity helps to enhance job satisfaction and reduce stress, whereas having professional goals ensures that your efforts are focused on tasks that align with your career aspirations.

      Motivation and drive

      Pursuing personal goals creates a sense of motivation. As you make progress and achieve milestones, the sense of accomplishment fuels your drive to continue working towards it. Similarly accomplishing tasks and achieving career milestones enhances job satisfaction and provides a basis for ongoing success.

      Personal growth

      Goals push you to step outside your comfort zone promoting personal growth. As you strive to achieve new things, you learn, adapt, and develop valuable skills.

      Increased happiness

      Accomplishing goals, experiencing progress, and living in alignment with your values contribute to a more positive outlook on life, leading to increased happiness.

      As the recruitment industry undergoes continuous evolution, the coming year presents a prime opportunity to not only adapt but to lead the change.

      Join us.

      At Advance TRS we understand the significance of leading the way in the ever-evolving recruitment landscape. As we step into the new year, we invite you to be part of our journey characterised by innovation, growth, and success. Join us at Advance TRS as we embark on a year of possibilities and opportunities. Your journey to success starts here.

      Visit our Work For Us page here

      The annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid returned to Celtic Manor in Wales on Tuesday 5th September.

      Unlike the weather we have experienced all summer, the golfers enjoyed a delightful 30-degree sunny weather while competing for the charity. There were 18 fourballs in total, all sent out in buggies for a shotgun start at 11:00 Prizes to be won involved competitions such as Longest Drive, Beat the Pro, nearest to the pin, Driving range competition individual Stableford, and the winning Four-Ball.

      The course

      The Montgomerie course – A dramatic par 69 challenge designed by Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie. Offering a spectacular par 69 challenge, the legendary Colin Montgomerie has called on all his Ryder Cup experience to create a course with many exciting tests of strategy.

      The Evening – Speakers & Rewards

      After a fantastic day of golf, everyone enjoyed a 3-course dinner, a talk from Jack from Railway Children. Jack enlightened the room with a talk about how the money helps the charity, whilst sharing some emotional stories, emphasising the need to donate and support this cause. Finally joined by guest speaker Billy Foster. Billy is one of the most recognised caddies in the world, having been on the bag for the likes of Westwood, Steve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, and even Tiger Woods.  The Yorkshireman has seen many of the players he’s caddied win titles but, up until this point, he has never experienced major glory.

      Results

      Longest Drive – Martin Headly

      Nearest to the pin – Frank Cardona

      Driving Range – Martin Headly

      Individual Stableford – William Gates (41 points)

      Winning Four-Ball – Atkins (Adrian Charlton, Nick Ansell, Steve Owens and Trian Bootle)

      With outstanding prizes to win, complemented by a wide selection of amazing experiences in our auction. We raised a magnificent £14,000 for a great cause in Rail Aid. Added to the previous year’s totals, we are delighted that the Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid has now raised a total of £57,395 for Children In need across the UK, Africa, and India.

      Thank you

      We would like to thank our sponsors who have made this feat possible not only this year but for the last 3 years. Thank you to MACE Dragados for joining us as a partner sponsor for all three years and to our competition sponsors, Gleeds, Atkins, and Turner & Townsend.

      Thank you to our hole sponsors; Clipfine, Clemtech, Amey, Protech, BAM Nuttall, and to our prize and merchandise sponsors; Mick Schruyers, Neil Webber, Liquid Friday, Willie Mitchell, Kingsbridge, Brookson, Warren Jones, Coombes, Global Rail, Sam & Ella Gilbody, Chris Spurdle, Sean Clarke, Rob Love and Chix Shah.

      Finally, thank you to Mark Thurston and Dave Ellis, without your support and energy to get this event up and running, we could never have achieved what we have.

      Railway Children

      Railway Children has been fighting for children alone and at risk on the street for over 25 years. During this time, they have reached more than 275,000 children in India, the UK, and East Africa.

      Children run away or are forced to leave home, where they suffer poverty, violence, and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to, and no one left to turn to. The problems they face on the streets are often even worse than those they endured at home. Every day they fight to change their story.

      Rail Aid is a major fundraising initiative in support of Railway Children, the Rail industry’s charity. It was launched in direct response to the Covid-19 outbreak, which has made our work with vulnerable young people even more vital.

      Advance TRS founder, Andy Ridout and a few other members of our team have completed numerous challenges such as climbing Mt Everest and Kilimanjaro, Ride Vietnam Challenge, Three Peaks By Rail 2023. These are just some of the amazing challenges we have done to raise funds for Railway Children.

      Supporting charities is a core element of life at Advance TRS, Since its establishment, our staff has raised over £85,000 for charities including Railway Children and Action for Children. Taking on personal challenges and fundraising activities to advance others has been a core founding principle and staff ­­­are encouraged to support charitable causes.

      Advance TRS are always looking for more people to join the team, Find out more about our latest vacancies.

      Advance TRS and Alstom are delighted to announce a huge milestone achieved in our recruitment partnership as our 300th permanent starter joins the business this week, following 3 years of tremendous growth across the business!

      Advance TRS are the recruitment partner for Alstom UK & Ireland’s rail recruitment programme, sourcing rail signalling management, engineering, and installation professionals. The Advance TRS and Alstom UK & Ireland partnership has placed over 300 new professionals in permanent roles across the business.

      Working in a truly collaborative manner has been a vital factor in the success to date which has seen both businesses work tirelessly to attract and engage with some of the brightest and most committed individuals across the country. Whilst in the company, the opportunities have not stopped with new starters building development career paths, taking on additional responsibilities, and achieving promotions as the benefits of working for a leading global engineering firm become a reality.

      Having taken a proactive approach to appoint a diverse workforce, we have seen numerous key roles being filled by candidates outside of the sector, with management driving a recruitment focus on individual skills & behaviours rather than time spent in the railways. This has led to fresh ideas, new approaches, and opportunities for people to join and excel in the industry.

      But the hard work doesn’t stop here! Thanks to an enviable work bank and constantly expanding product offering, Alstom is growing further and can offer outstanding opportunities across engineering, operations, and management as we gear up for the years ahead.

      Find out more about the Advance TRS recruitment partnership with Alstom.

      ALSTOM IN IRELAND

      Advance TRS & Alstom are recruiting Commercial, Planning, Engineering, Management, Health & Safety professionals for the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) upgrade, a transformative rail improvement programme for the Cork Rail Network.

      The Cork Area Commuter Rail programme is the heavy rail element of CMATS and is a transformative rail improvement programme for the Cork Rail Network. Delivering increased train capacity and frequency, providing for more connected communities and a more sustainable transport network, the project represents the largest-ever investment in the Cork Rail Network.

      The programme involves developments and enhancements to the rail network from Mallow through Cork to Cobh and Midleton and will include the delivery of new rail infrastructure and electrification and re-signalling across the 3 main lines of Mallow, Cobh and Glounthaune to Midleton.

      The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme is being progressed through a number of separate but interrelated projects which will be delivered in specific work packages.

      This is a fantastic opportunity to work on the Signalling and Communications Upgrade to facilitate the proposed capacity and service frequency increases across the Cork Area Commuter Rail network. The preliminary design of the project is well-advanced, and the implementation stage is starting now.

      View the latest Alstom jobs in Ireland.

      BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE WITH ALSTOM

      A key focus for Alstom is to build a diverse and entrepreneurial workforce with inclusivity at its core. Alstom knows that employee empowerment is crucial to its success and continues to strengthen its culture by promoting diversity and entrepreneurial spirit with a fundamental commitment to integrity and high ethical business standards and practices.

      This key commitment has been embraced and mirrored by Advance TRS, working together to establish a non-discriminative recruitment process to ensure a diverse candidate pool is available, and promoting opportunities for under-represented communities. At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, and that the diversity of the workforce is an essential part of success. We are committed to supporting clients to build work environments that are free from discrimination and promote equal opportunities for all.

      View the latest Alstom Jobs.

      QUALITY CANDIDATE CARE

      At Advance TRS providing a premium quality service to candidates and clients alike is a core founding principle and forms the backbone of how we approach our work.

      We pride ourselves on our exceptional level of customer service and seek to create long-lasting and dependable relationships. Advance TRS support candidates throughout the entire process from initial contact and interview, through to remuneration negotiations and onboarding.

      ALSTOM PRIORITIZING CAREER DEVELOPMENT

      Professional development is part of Alstom’s recruitment strategy, with the organisation firmly believing that employee motivation and performance are intrinsically linked and that the nurturing of employee potential and competencies are key to ensuring the ongoing success of the international brand.

      All employees are offered development opportunities via the ‘People Management Cycle’, which helps line managers and HR to design a bespoke training plan for each employee. This offers high-quality learning and development opportunities and supports employees through professional mentoring or coaching.

      For those hesitant to take the next step in their career and explore opportunities, such a solid investment into personal development has proven to temper nerves and ease the transition when joining the business.

      “My favourite part of my role is enhancing and developing new skills and expertise in the development of people. I have fully embraced Alstom’s People Management Cycle and encourage the development of my team members.”

      Lead Commercial Manager, Alstom.

      “Alstom has committed to training the right candidates to be the perfect fit for the business. They understand that not everyone will be the finished article straight away, but their development opportunities are really encouraging and quick to materialise.”

      Principal Project Engineer, Alstom.

      Find out more about life at Alstom.

      FIND YOUR IDEAL ROLE

      Across the UK, Alstom is winning new projects and securing exciting packages of work, opening up huge opportunities for professionals across the UK.

      Are you looking for your next role and does Alstom sound like the right fit for you? View our live jobs or speak to one of our Alstom delivery teams today.

      Advance TRS are delighted to welcome experienced rail industry recruiter, Chris Spurdle to join the business as Business Development Manager – Rail. Chris has over 14 years experience in the rail industry predominantly working in the rail civils and permanent way specialism and joins Advance TRS to focus on white collar recruitment in rail civils and permanent way.

      Chris is looking forward to progressing his industry knowledge and network from the blue-collar and labour side of the rail sector into white-collar recruitment.

      “This is an exciting new opportunity to build on the established reputation I have built in the blue collar and labour market, and a natural continuation of my work in the sector.”

      Explains Chris.

      Chris will be focused on business development, supporting the current team building on established relationships and also bid development. Chris Spurdle will also be the main point of contact for a new client partnership Advance TRS have recently secured providing construction managers, project managers, civils, permanent way, signalling, planning and commercial engineering professionals into key rail projects across the UK rail network. These projects range across the UK & Ireland from a couple of million budgets to major infrastructure projects with budgets up to 200 million.

      “We are delighted to welcome Chris into the Advance TRS team, and more personally, I am so pleased to work with him in the business development team. His experience and industry knowledge will prove to be a great asset to our business.”

      Shares Business Development Director, Michael Schruyers.

      When asked why Chris chose to join Advance TRS, Chris explained:

      “I wanted to work for a specialist company, a niche recruiter. It was important for me to join a flexible and agile business where the team are skilled, well networked and have the ability to support clients throughout the process rather than a large corporate business. Advance TRS offer all this and have a really good team, both in sales and business services, and provide a positive work environment.”

      Chris Spurdle will be supporting the business development team across the full spectrum of permanent and contract supply, both in rail and also reaching across the wider infrastructure piece.

      Chris goes on to say:

      “I love the ambition and trajectory Advance TRS offer as a growing SME. It gives me an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the business growth trajectory and adding value. Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming – particularly Jake and Josh who I have been working with a lot, and have helped me settle in. The business services support and payroll teams are brilliant too – shout out to everybody!”

      Join Advance TRS

      If you are looking for a new opportunity to further your career with an established and growing business providing quality recruitment solutions in the built environment and engineering markets, we are always looking for new talented staff to join our team. Find out what it is like to work for us and see our live opportunities.

      Expert Rail Recruiters

      Advance TRS know the rail industry like no one else. We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects.

      Our team of experts are well established in the sector and expertly networked to ensure the best results for clients every time with specialisms focused on signalling, telecoms, E&P, OLE, Civils, M&E, Pway and Project Services. With over 400 contractors working across the UK rail network we are proud to be committed to high safety standards.

      Advance TRS is accredited by the Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS), enabling us to supply rail recruitment solutions to clients across the UK. Find out how we can support your business hire the best talent in the market. Or get in touch to speak to a member of our team, call 01483 361061.

      Advance TRS are proud to announce the new office opening in central London. The new office, based in the Northern & Shell Building, near Monument was launched in September 2022. This new base is the third office for the recruitment business and marks an exciting chapter in the business’s growth. 

      The new London office will be a permanent office for some of our Rail recruitment business and provide a base for other members of the team who have meetings in London. 

      The new office is led by Specialist Consultant in the Rail & Civil Engineering Industry, Craig Outhwaite. Craig joined Advance TRS in autumn 2021 and after one year is stepping up into this new role. Craig focuses on the recruitment of freelance Quantity Surveyors and Commercial professionals across the UK. 

      “I’m really proud and excited to open and grow a London Branch for the company. London excites me, you can’t help but feel invigorated heading into the city each morning. The market is really busy and we are now expertly positioned to meet all our clients and candidates as needed”

      Shares Craig. 

      Craig is joined by Victoria Bartram (nee. Satterley), who joined Advance TRS earlier this month after a few years out to grow her family, Victoria is a brilliant addition to the team and back with a bang! 

      “I’m very excited to of joined Advance TRS and to be involved in the opening of our new London office with Craig Outhwaite. Extremely busy and exciting times ahead!”

      Explains Victoria. 

      If you are a QS, at any level, with Civil Engineering experience, and you are feeling unhappy, unfulfilled, and just a bit meh about your role, then please get in contact with the team who has various roles with contractors, subcontractors and consultancies that may be your perfect job. Even if you are not ready to make the move just yet, they would love to meet you for a coffee and chat about the market, and what your perfect role would look like, so can contact you in the future about suitable opportunities.

      Check out our latest roles and opportunities.

      The new London office will specialise in the recruitment of Commercial (Quantity Surveyors’) Rail and Civil staff for “blue chip” clients across the UK. The team are currently recruiting Commercial Managers/Directors, Estimating Managers, Managing Quantity Surveyors and all other levels of Quantity Surveyors, Estimators as well as Risk Managers and procurement staff for major rail projects and frameworks including HS2. 

      Join the Team

      Are you working in London and looking for a new opportunity in engineering recruitment? We are looking to expand our team from our London office. Find out more about working life at Advance TRS or contact our Head of Talent Acquisition, Jessica Wells, to find out about our opportunities across all three offices and all built environment teams. 

      Last week, seven of our avid golfers took on the Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. They raised a total of £1,175!

      The team made up of our Rail consultants included Jake Rodger, Andy Ridout, Craig Outhwaite, Josh Hill, Sam Blair, Mick Schruyers and Chris Spurdle.

      They completed 4 rounds of golf, 72 holes, in 31-degree heat, taking a total of 16 hours and walking over21 miles!

      Rail Business Development Manager Chris shared:

      “It was a really good day. As someone who has recently joined the business, taking on the Longest Day Golf Challenge was a great way for me to get to know some of my team.”

      The team teed off at 5:30am, long before some of us were even out of bed and finished the last round at approximately 8:30pm! Each round of golf took roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, but the team admit they lost track after the first couple of rounds.

      Speaking to them about the distance they said:

      “The last we checked it was about 46,000 steps, however, the watch we were using ran out of charge, so we don’t know the exact count. This happened on the second hole of the last round so you can guess the next 16 holes…”

      We would like to again extend our thanks to Blacknest Golf and Country Club who supported us on the day and allowed us to use their course.

      “We started very strong and played some good golf, but with the heat and exhaustion, it did go a bit downhill each round we played. Despite struggling to walk the next day, it was very good fun and something I would do again.”
      Explained our consultant, Sam.

      Fundraising can make a huge difference, so we are pleased to have contributed to an important cause. Taking on this challenge will help Macmillan make a real difference to people living with cancer. They will be able to give people going through a cancer experience practical, emotional and personal support.

      Business Development Director Mick shared some final thoughts from the day:

      “The day was great, it was a real team effort. It was certainly a hard day but hearing a number of people at the club cheering us on during the day helped get us through. We even had a lady who thought we were crazy and was leaving the course after 9 holes as it was too hot. We told her what we were doing, and she waited for us to return and donated £20 towards the day. It was a real good, spirited team event and still managed to recognise good shots even on the last 18 holes.

      The funniest part of the day was watching Jake try and save Andy’s ball going in the pond, however, while doing so he fell down the bank…luckily, he only got his feet wet but was so close to going all the way in…”

      Advance TRS have a strong history of taking on personal challenges to raise money for causes important to the team. This is the latest challenge in a line of activities that has seen the team raise over £65,000 for charities in 10 years.

      It has been an exciting six months for the Advance TRS team! Although it’s hard to believe we are over halfway through 2022 already, we have been reflecting on the company’s achievements and highlights from what has been a successful start to the year so far.

      Getting back out and meeting face to face

      At the end of 2021, we spoke to Managing Director Andy about where he wanted the company to be in the immediate future. He spoke about wanting to re-engage with clients face to face, rather than remotely via zoom or teams. Whilst these tools were an important part of business over the past two years, nothing beats working together face to face.

      In addition to getting out and about visiting clients on-site, our team have been delighted to attend a number of industry events including:

      Celebrating staff achievements

      We understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. Therefore, we support staff to grow and succeed as the company does the same.

      Already this year we have celebrated as 15 staff members mark an anniversary with Advance TRS. Plus, three of our team have earned hard-won promotions. These team members have demonstrated their hard work, skill and fully embody the core values that the business was founded on. Our company values run at the heart of our approach, we believe in them and recognise each of them in the way we act, both with each other and those we support.

      Notably, our Operations Director Paul Merton marked 10 years at Advance TRS in April. As our resident expert of legislation, Paul oversees the continual development of Advance TRS’s compliance and operational systems.

      Coming together as a team

      At Advance TRS, we work hard to deliver the best possible service for our clients and candidates, so enjoy taking the time to celebrate together as one united team. This unified approach is a core part of our success and ongoing practices towards those we work with.

      With COVID-19 restrictions finally lifted we’ve taken the time to come together as a team and celebrate our achievements. At the start of our financial year, we brought the team together for our annual Kick-Off Conference. We shared our upcoming business plans for the year and celebrated achievements from 2021-22. Since then, our teams have enjoyed trips to Brighton, clay pigeon shooting, go-karting, driving experience days, and lunches out. More recently our whole team enjoyed a day out at Sandown races for our Summer Social.

      Growing our team

      Due to a period of rapid growth, we have welcomed nine new starters across our Guildford and Port Solent offices. The new additions are proving to be great assets to the sectors they have joined and excelling in their roles. We’re excited to witness the positive impact this has on the services we deliver to our clients and candidates. A warm welcome to Advance TRS’ new team members of 2022.

      Managing Director Andy said:

      “These new appointments have come at an exciting phase of our development and growth strategy. These new starters join us to build out teams across the business. Whilst some bring years of industry experience, and others are showing incredible promise at the start of their recruitment career, they are all showing to be brilliant additions to the team and share our core values and commitment to being the best.”

      For a confidential chat about our current vacancies, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.

      Launching our new website

      Our marketing team and developers worked behind the scenes to launch our new website, with a key focus on improving user experience and creating a seamless job search.

      Not only have we given it a brand-new look, but we have made extensive adjustments to our job boards and candidate zone. By registering an account with us, you can:

      • Set up detailed job alerts relevant to your skills and disciplines
      • Upload and manage multiple CVs
      • Shortlist your favourite jobs and easily apply at a time suitable to you
      • Access additional resources and advice to support your job search

      With new vacancies added regularly, you can search our job boards and quickly apply to various opportunities across our sectors, with some roles exclusively available to us.

      Company video production

      This year we are delighted to have partnered with a video production company for the first time. Arranging a number of filming days with our team helps support our internal recruitment drive and provides a fresh, dynamic insight into life at Advance TRS. Look out for these new videos coming soon.

      Giving back to charities

      Advance TRS have a strong history of taking on personal challenges to raise money for causes important to the team. This year has seen us continue to raise money for good causes, with preparations for more activities later in the year.

      Most recently we assembled 7 of our rail consultants to take on the Longest Golf Day Challenge. The challenge saw the team complete 72 holes and 4 rounds of golf, in 16 hours. This is the latest challenge in a line of activities that has seen the team raise over £65,000 for charities in 10 years.

      Looking forward

      The next 6 months look to be as exciting as the first!

      Following the success of last year’s event, Railway Children and Advance TRS have again teamed up for the annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid, at the prestigious Belfry Hotel & Resort. The day brings together industry leaders for some healthy competition, networking and most importantly to raise money for the Rail Aid campaign.

      This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. The trip will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, travelling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice! Sam is well on his way with his training journey. You can keep up to date with his progress or donate to his fundraising total on his JustGiving page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sam-jennings4

      As well as continued growth and driving our internal recruitment, we are also looking forward to opening new offices later in 2022/2023.

      Advance TRS

      Advance TRS offers a supportive environment to help you to be the best you can be and reach your career goals as part of our team, whether you are an established recruiter or just starting out on your journey. View our latest vacancies here.

      We are delighted to celebrate Sam Jennings, Director of Client Services and Rail Signalling for his eight years of service at Advance TRS. In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has managed the delivery of a series of Managed Service Programmes and Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnerships with key client accounts for the rail sector and was promoted to Client Services and Rail Signalling last year.

      “Sam is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and an influential figure within the business. He is always the first to get involved in company activities and is an active fundraiser, often putting his body (and facial hair!) on the line to raise money for a good cause.”

      Explains Group Managing Director, Andy Ridout.

      Sam has previously completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children, Movember, Surrey Half Marathon and #WalkAllOverCancer challenge for Cancer Research UK.

      Ride Vietnam Challenge

      This year he is taking on a new challenge, Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees. He is now well into his training before the October trip. Please support his efforts and donate via his JustGiving page.

      Client Services

      As Director of Client Services, Sam is responsible for delivering service level agreements and key performance indicators for our key client partnerships, recruitment process outsourcing and managed service contracts. He works closely with clients to create and deliver custom recruitment solutions to support business needs. From contingent recruitment to managed services and recruitment process outsourcing. For key clients Sam acts as a delivery director, offering a single point of contact for line managers. He works closely with the Advance TRS recruitment delivery team to fulfil technical recruitment SLAs and KPIs.

      Alstom Partnership

      Notably, Sam is the Key Account Director for our recruitment partnership with Alstom. Sam leads our client services team to deliver a planned programme of recruitment to an exciting portfolio of projects across the UK. Advance TRS was appointed as RPO partners for Alstom’s permanent staff recruitment drive. We supply rail signalling management, engineering and installation professionals in York, Derby, Birmingham, London and Bristol, as part of CP6 in early 2020.

      Railway Signalling

      Outside of his work with key clients in Client Services, Sam is incredibly well networked within the Railway Signalling sector. He has led the Advance TRS rail signalling department, following in company founder, Andy Ridout’s footsteps.

      Join the team

      Sam is expanding his team! Check out our live vacancies to find out how you can join the Advance TRS client services team, delivering an internal recruitment function for our key clients.

      23rd June 2022 marks International Women in Engineering Day, giving women engineers around the world a profile in an under-represented profession. As of June 2021, figures show that 16.5% of engineers are women. It’s an important day to recognise those paving the way and encourage young women to take up engineering careers.

      Why do we need more women in engineering?

      There are many answers to this question, but ultimately studies have shown that diverse teams tend to perform better. With different approaches to tasks, various skillsets and ways of thinking, diverse teams can strike a great balance. Men and women often have different strengths, which can create a powerful result when combined.

      With quickly developing technology and the 21st century advancing quicker than ever before, we need engineers with a wide range of skills and abilities. There are countless options, fields, and industries available to an engineer. From the built environment which encompasses roads, waterworks, railways and much more, to tackling climate change.

      What can be done?

      There are a number of organisations promoting the education and development of women or young girls to fulfil their potential and pursue engineering careers.

      It’s important to shake the bias that girls can’t be or are not good in science and mathematics. From a young age, we can encourage girls to develop these skills. Such as learning code, carrying out science experiments (safely!) and taking these subjects through to further education.

      STEM Women run graduate careers events and promote jobs aimed at university students and recent graduates who identify as women or non-binary, and study a STEM-related subject; science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

      At the start of the year, they published a Whitepaper exploring students’ and graduates’ attitudes towards gender issues prevalent within STEM.

      As a society, we should be shining the light on the contributions of women in engineering and encourage female innovators. Films such as Hidden Figures, Engima, Gravity and even Big Hero 6 are a great representation of women in STEM. We should also improve the images used when talking about science and engineering. A quick search online will often show images of men on a construction site and very few women. Imagine getting to a point where you don’t have to specifically search for “women engineer”.

      The Women’s Engineering Society is a charitable company founded to support women in engineering. They were the ones who founded International Women in Engineering Day. Their vision is to see an engineering industry that employs the diversity of the society it serves, solving the biggest societal issues of our time. It is their mission to support women in engineering careers to fulfil their potential and support the industry to be inclusive.

      We’re Hiring

      At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

      We are currently recruiting for a number of positions across our Guildford and Port Solent offices. Check out our latest opportunities.

      Are you feeling fed up with your job search? Are you feeling stressed and wanting to just give up? Is your job search affecting your mental health? Searching for a new job can be both mentally and emotionally draining. We’ve put together these tips on how to look after your mental health during this period.

      Be selective

      Whether you’re looking for a job full-time or doing this alongside a current position, avoid just thoughtlessly applying to every job you see. Targeting your search and focusing on the quality of your application can improve your chances of success. Hiring managers can tell the difference between someone just applying for the sake of it, to someone really wanting the job. If you have put time, effort, and passion into your application this will show.

      Finding a new job doesn’t happen overnight, so applying to loads of jobs and not getting a response can leave you feeling discouraged.

      Rather than waste your energy on jobs you don’t really want, try to find something that will work for you in the long run.

      Take a break

      It can be easy to get lost in hours and hours of job searching! That could be searching for vacancies, completing applications, amending your CV or writing cover letters. If you’re applying for a job full-time, make sure you set yourself a schedule and take regular breaks. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be job searching all day long. Get some fresh air, exercise, and regularly eat healthy snacks and meals to keep your energy levels up.

      Why not set up job alerts so that relevant roles go straight to your inbox? This streamlines some of the searching process and saves you time.

      Positive Targets

      It’s natural for job searching to feel negative, especially when you get rejection emails or even no response at all. This can lower your confidence and leave you feeling low, so find ways to give yourself a boost. It’s so important to not let your job search affect your mental health.

      Each day, set yourself three tasks you wish to accomplish. Each time you tick off a task it will give you a sense of achievement. No matter how big or small, celebrate your wins!

      Ask for help

      Taking on this burden can be a lot for one person to manage and lead to feelings of loneliness. Why not enlist the help of a recruitment agency? An agency like Advance TRS will have a vast network of clients looking for staff, with some vacancies exclusive to that agency.

      Our recruitment consultants have a strong understanding of the employer and jobs they are recruiting for, business culture and values. It is their job to work with you and align your ambitions, personality, and suitability.

      Contacts Us

      Searching for a job within the built environment? Having successfully placed hundreds of skilled candidates into major organisations at all levels, Advance TRS are best placed to find your next role.

      Upload your CV and register an account with us to receive the following benefits:

      • Upload and manage multiple CVs
      • Set up personalised job alerts
      • Shortlist your favourite jobs
      • View your applications
      • Access to additional resources to support your job search
      • Work with our dedicated and experienced consultants

      Brand new website, same quality recruitment solution!

      We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website. Our marketing team and developers have been tirelessly working behind the scenes to improve user experience and make your job search seamless.

      Not only have we given it a brand-new look, but we have also made extensive adjustments to our job boards and candidate zone.

      By registering an account with us, you can:

      • Set up detailed job alerts relevant to your skills and disciplines
      • Upload and manage multiple CVs
      • Shortlist your favourite jobs and easily apply at a time suitable to you
      • Access additional resources and advice to support your job search

      Having your CVs uploaded to your account speeds up the application process by up to 5 minutes!

      With new vacancies added regularly, you can search our job board and quickly apply to various opportunities across our sectors. Some roles are exclusively available to us. We have also added additional filters so you can find the jobs most suitable for you.

      We could go on and on about the features and information available on the site, but don’t just take our word for it, look for yourself.

      So what’s next?

      We will continue developing and improving our website, providing you with information about the industry and our business.

      Stay up to date with our regular blog posts and news updates!

      We’re hiring

      Due to a period of rapid growth, Advance TRS are seeking Recruitment Consultants of all levels.

      We are always looking for talented and ambitious people to join our team. We have opportunities available across our offices and in sales, management, or business services.

      For a confidential chat, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, or simply exploring the countless options available to you, get in touch with our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.

      Advance TRS are excited to celebrate the six-year anniversary and promotion of Ella Gardiner. Having joined back in May 2016, she demonstrated a drive and passion for marketing and quickly increased her responsibilities. To recognise all her hard work and achievements over the years, Ella has now been promoted to our Marketing and Development Director.

      Speaking to Group Managing Director Andy, he says:

      “Ella offers a “can do” approach and isn’t afraid to think outside the box, offering Advance TRS innovative and inspiring ideas to promote our services to clients and candidates alike. Professional, passionate, hardworking, and committed are all words that I and many will associate with Ella. She truly embodies our company values.”

      Always looking to learn, develop and increase her skills, with an open mind to new ways of working, she has been part of an incredible journey with the company. In 2021, Ella was recognised for her exceptional performance in organising Advance TRS’ first executive Golf Day. The event saw C-suites of the rail industry come together for a day of healthy competition, networking and raise money for the charity Railway Children. It was a huge success and raised an incredible £18,000, as well as becoming a key event for the Rail Industry.

      Ella now joins the Advance TRS Senior Leadership Team as Marketing and Development Director at a very exciting period for the company. She will not only increase her responsibility for directing the marketing of the business but will be instrumental in helping to lead the next exciting growth period for Advance TRS. With the opening of our London office, expansion of our South Coast and Guildford HQ and role out of our latest Managed Service framework, she will be a welcome addition to the Senior Leadership Team.

      Please join us in congratulating her on a fantastic promotion and anniversary!

      We’re Hiring!

      Due to unprecedented demand, Advance TRS have job vacancies across all levels. From entry-level resources to senior recruitment consultants, we’re looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      Contact our Talent Acquisition Manager for a confidential conversation, or find out about our current opportunities.

      As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Advance TRS are exploring male mental health and raising awareness of the importance of talking about your mental wellbeing.

      In England, around one in eight men has a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s hard to ignore the statistics, with suicide being a leading cause of death for men up to the age of forty. Three times as many men as women die by suicide.

      So why do men struggle to open up about their mental health? Society’s expectations and gender roles may play a part in the difficulty to discuss or seek help for their troubles. Men were often encouraged to appear “manly” or not show their emotions, in control and a provider for the home. This stigma can cause men to suppress their emotions for fear of how they will be received.

      It is also thought that men may be less able to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves and unable to process the way they are feeling. Many might find themselves engaging in risky activities, picking fights and substance misuse to cope.

      It is clear that more needs to be done to improve the reality that men are facing. So what can we do to support and encourage change? Several campaigns have recently emerged, encouraging men to talk about their mental health. To help break the stigma, be sure to check in on your colleagues, employees, friends, and family. Regularly ask how they are to show they have your support. As a result, this will open up the conversation for you to both discuss worries if necessary.

      What is the industry doing to support mental health?

      More than 25,000 railway staff have now been trained to identify and help vulnerable people, inside and outside of the rail network, thanks to a Samaritans’ partnership with Network Rail and the wider rail industry.

      The charity also runs a Small Talk Saves Lives campaign in partnership with Network Rail and British Transport Police. The campaign aims to encourage the public to use the skills they already have by simply starting a conversation if they see someone who needs help. A little small talk and simple question can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and help start them on the journey to recovery.

      More and more construction businesses are also starting to see their staff’s mental health as a priority. Mates in Mind is a leading UK charity raising awareness and addressing poor mental health across industries, focusing on construction, as well as related sectors. They work in partnership with industry-leading organisations with the aim to break the silence surrounding mental ill-health.

      Helpful resources

      Charity Movember has a variety of great tools on how to have a conversation with someone you believe is struggling.

      If you need someone to talk to then Samaritans are available on 116 123 (UK) for free, 24/7. They are there to talk to, listen and they won’t judge or tell you what to do.

      C.A.L.M is a National helpline for men to talk about any troubles they are feeling. Call 0800 58 58 58 (UK). They are available from 5pm-midnight 365 days a year.

      When you’re experiencing a mental health problem, supportive and reliable information can change your life. Mind mental health charity believes no one should have to face this alone. Infoline: 0300 123 3393.

      For support when you’re struggling to cope, Text Shout to 85258. If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support.

      The Construction Industry Helpline provides a 24/7 safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland. Call their helpline on 0345 605 1956 (UK) or text HARDHAT to 85258 (UK). They also offer a free Helpline App, offering advice on a variety of conditions or issues, self- assessment tools, coping strategies and referral pathways to access expert advice and support.

      Advance TRS

      Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals for the built environment. 

      We have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders to provide a first point of contact for our staff if needed. We also offer our a Wellbeing Hub, where confidential support via an EAP helpline can be accessed at any time.

      From the very beginning our Group Managing Director Andy has nurtured a close family feel office culture, where colleagues work together, socialise and look out for each other.

      We are always looking for new talented and ambitious people to join our team, across our offices and in sales, management or business services.

      Our Group Operations Director Paul Merton has been with Advance TRS since its humble beginnings, joining just 6 months after it was founded. He is now celebrating 10 years with the company, and what a decade it has been.

      Group MD and Founder Andy Ridout explains:

      “Paul was such a welcome addition to the team. Aside from being a good friend, he brought a wealth of experience and industry knowledge. In his time with the company, he has worked tirelessly to ensure we have solid systems, policies and procedures that provide the foundations to support the success and growth of Advance TRS.”

      As our resident expert of legislation, Paul oversees the continual development of Advance TRS’s compliance and operational systems.

      Our compliance procedures, regulations, accreditations, and client processes are essential. This gives clients and candidates the confidence that our systems are robust enough to support any service they require.

      Today, our Marketing Consultant sits down with Paul to understand more about his time with Advance TRS and the last 10 years of working with a growing company.

      How did you secure your role with Advance TRS?

      I’ve actually known Andy for over 30 years and worked closely with him in rail recruitment for 12 years prior to Advance TRS. During my career I built up extensive knowledge within the Rail Telecommunications and Mechanical & Electrical sectors. I developed strong relationships and grew an excellent network of respected clients and candidates.

      Once Andy started the business, he approached me and asked if I’d come on board. We share the same beliefs and values and had the same visions for what makes a successful business. We used our experiences to learn from what we had done previously, and implement this in what we would do going forward.

      What made you pursue this career?

      Well, I decided to join the business to support its growth. With my experience in rail, I knew what we needed to do to offer the best service, especially when it came to being compliant and legal. The role offered a great balance of my skills. Andy and I also had complementary skills that worked well together.

      How has the business changed in the past decade?

      It’s been fantastic. The business has seen incredible growth and continues to provide honest, reliable, and top-quality recruitment solutions. I think that’s part of the success of the business, that the values we implemented at the start, have been bought into by staff and maintained. They really believe in the service that we’ve always wanted to provide. Genuinely, the key part of the business is the people.

      To be honest the job has also become more of a passion. I want to make sure that whatever we’re doing, we are doing to the best of our ability. I’m always looking for ways in which I can improve what we do.

      Have you seen changes in the sector in the past 10 years?

      Whilst there have been a lot of changes in legislation, compliance, policies etc, the service we provide and the sector we work in have all stayed fairly constant. Legislation, equality & diversity, environment & sustainability, modern slavery etc – none of that was as prolific 10-15 years ago when I was a recruiter as it is now. It is fantastic that we are now so focused on these factors in both our own employment activities as well as our service provision, however change takes time and have to be administered carefully to ensure everyone understands the need and buys into it.

      The business continues to evolve, as do our sectors. We’re providing services to more and more sectors, headed up by fantastic sector experts like Rob Kelly and Matt Bray. However, at the heart of it all are the same beliefs and values Andy and I have from 10 years ago.

      What would you say is your greatest professional achievement so far?

      I’d have to say it doesn’t necessarily come down to one project or one moment, but where the business is today is such an achievement. The fact we have a team of people that are so dedicated and committed to the business and their role within their team as a whole, is very rewarding. I feel so fortunate to be part of it. All that dedication plays a huge part in our qualifications, certifications etc, I can’t take responsibility for that on a personal level. The whole team contributes to our successes. 10 years ago, I could never have imagined we’d be where we are today!

      What challenges have you faced in the last 10 years?

      The challenges have changed over the years. A decade ago, it was the challenge of being a new company, trying to go out into the market and present yourself as a new brand. We had to get clients to buy into the company, not just myself or Andy and our experience. Luckily, we made sure a lot of our systems, IT infrastructure etc was scalable so that helped us a lot as we grew. COVID-19 was one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced, but our IT systems all being online meant we could switch from office to home working within 24 hours.

      As the years go by everything becomes easier, but the challenges of growth then develop in other ways.

      The other challenge is always staying one step ahead. As Group Operations Director, it’s my job to make sure the company runs smoothly and try to anticipate anything that might throw that.

      What has been the key to a successful career with Advance?

      I think it comes down to my belief in the business and the service we provide. I’ve always worked in a customer-facing role, so I know that if the business is stable from a legal/compliance/systems aspect, it can support our teams to deliver the best service to clients and candidates.

      It always comes down to offering the best services, so I know I need to do whatever I can to make sure that happens.

      Do you have any advice/words of wisdom for new starters or people entering the recruitment industry?

      There is no part of this business that can operate as a sole entity, we’re all part of the chain and each person, department etc plays a vital role in that. We want each person to come on board and be part of the journey. I would advise new starters to take responsibility for their job role. As the company continues to grow, everybody has an opportunity to grow in their role, to flourish and be the best version of themselves. If you take pride in your own role, it helps you to develop. We reward success so we’re really looking for people who are determined, driven, and wanting to succeed.

      Any final words?

      It’s a never-ending job! It doesn’t matter what I do, there will always be something new, something different or something we can do better. Even now I’m constantly learning new things, it’s a very varied role. I feel so privileged to be where I am today, bring on the next 10 years!

      Why Advance TRS?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, 2022 is an exciting time to kick-start your career with Advance TRS. We have fantastic opportunities available across all levels, from entry-level resourcers to senior recruitment consultants. As recruiters we understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to a successful business.

      For a confidential chat, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jessica Wells on 07432 356 750, email or connect on LinkedIn. Alternatively, head to our job search page to view all our latest vacancies.

      This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. 

      Please support Sam to raise money for this excellent cause and donate via his JustGiving page. 

      As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees, on a (barely used) bike! 

      “Having never previously ridden a bike without balancing a child on the back, it seemed like a great opportunity to take on a huge personal challenge and raise money that will go to support some of the most vulnerable children in the world” shares Sam. 

      The trip itself will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, travelling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice!

      Throughout the summer Sam will be up early and home late, trying to fit the training in and around family and working life, with 1,250 miles of training to be done before he even flies out. 

      Sam will be keeping us up to date with regular updates from his training and welcomes offers for anyone to join him on a training ride! Get in touch if you would like to join Sam on a ride.

      Sam has previously completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children but is a complete newbie to the world of cycling and hoping to make the challenge worth whilst by beating his previous total. Donate via his JustGiving page. 

      Giving Back 

      Since Advance TRS was established in 2011, advancing less fortunate people has always been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff have raised over £65,000 for charities completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate. Find out more. 

      Railway Children 

      Advance TRS has been a long term supporter and partner of Railway Children and the Rail Aid campaign. Railway Children is an international children’s charity that funds rescue workers and street teams that seek out vulnerable children living on the streets before potential abusers get to them first. Our staff have completed a number of challenges to raise money and awareness for the charity including Three Peaks By Rail, Three Ironman’s, a trek up Kilimanjaro and to Everest Base Camp.  

      Looking for a new challenge? 

      We are always looking for talented new staff to join the Advance TRS team. Advance TRS offers a supportive environment to help you to be the best you can be and reach your career goals as part of our team, whether you are an established recruiter or just starting out on your journey. With access to the biggest clients in each market sector, a strongly networked and experienced Senior Leadership Team and great compensation, at Advance TRS we can help people grow and succeed as the company does the same. Find out about our current opportunities or contact Jess Wells, our Talent Acquisition Manager for a more detailed and confidential conversation. 

      Follow Sam’s journey on our Instagram. 

      Job searching in 2022? You may find yourself wondering if writing a cover letter is still necessary, and our answer? Absolutely. It is thought that at least 56% of employers still expect a cover letter to accompany a job application.

      A cover letter shows prospective employers that you’re committed to the job and willing to put in the extra effort. It can set you apart from other candidates and help you stand out from the crowd.

      We conducted a recent survey and found that 34% of candidates least like writing a cover letter in their job search. So, we’ve put together some tips to give you confidence in submitting a cover letter and make the process easier:

      Research the company

      Before writing a cover letter, you should take some time to dig a little deeper into the role you’re applying for and the company. You can then use this information to tailor your letter accordingly.

      Some things you want to find out are:

      • What does the company do?
      • Who are their competitors? (this develops your understanding of the industry)
      • Who are their target audience?
      • What skills and experience do they value?
      • What does the role involve and how does this sit within the rest of the company?

      Start with a header

      Include all essential information about yourself, including name, phone number, email, and the date you’ve written the letter on. Most of this information should already be on your CV, but this saves the employer having to go between the two documents.

      Write an impactful introduction

      It’s essential to catch the employer’s attention from the very first paragraph. Most candidates start with a simple introduction, stating who they are, their interest in the role and previous work experience.

      For example, “With over 10 years’ experience at my current company, I wish to apply for the role of Creative Director being advertised on your website.”

      As this is quite generic and a common opening from candidates, you could get lost in the sea of cover letters the recruiter is receiving.

      To really grab their attention, start off introducing yourself and your top 2-3 achievements (most relevant to the company or role). This is a great way to impress the employer and shine the light on yourself.

      Why you’re suitable for the job

      In your second paragraph, describe your professional skills and how you meet the role requirements. Read the job description and identify which of the responsibilities are of high importance for the employer. You’ll need to demonstrate how you meet these and why you’re the perfect fit for the job.

      If you’re trying to change role, industry, or struggling to meet all requirements, think about skills and attributes that are transferable.

      Try to be specific and give examples of your skills in action.

      For example, a statement like “I’m a team player” is very vague.

      A statement such as “In my previous role, I worked with a team of 10 on a project and ensured everyone was working towards the same goal. This project led to a 12% rise in sales in first 3 months of completion” is more specific and showcasing what you can do.

      What you offer the company

      Now is your opportunity to emphasise what you can do for the company and that you’ll be a good fit for their business. This is also a great time for you to state exactly why you want the job and why you’re passionate about working for them.

      Again, don’t be too generic just for the sake of writing something. It’s very easy to look up the values of an organisation and simply say these align with your own values. Instead, be as specific as possible, giving example of something they’ve done or detailed knowledge of their culture.

      Closing the letter

      Wrap up your cover letter by thanking the employer for their time or consideration and include a call to action. This could be the opportunity to discuss further or arranging an interview.

      At this point, you should also double check the length of your cover letter. Whilst it is important to cover all the information we’ve advised; you don’t want to put off an employer because it is too lengthy. Aim for half a side of A4 or at a maximum, one A4 page.

      Finally, make sure you proofread your letter before sending. Having put so much effort into producing the perfect cover letter, you don’t want to be let down by any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. There are some great online tools such as Grammarly that can help you check, or maybe even ask a friend or family member to look.

      Our final checklist

      • Have you done your research into the company?
      • Have you provided all essential information?
      • Does your introductory paragraph make an impact?
      • Have you detailed why you’re suitable for the job?
      • Do you state what you can offer the company?
      • Did you close the letter with a call to action?
      • Have you checked the length of your letter?
      • Have you proofread and checked for errors?

      Why Advance TRS?

      We offer an in-depth candidate management process supporting you through interview, remuneration negotiation, resignation, counteroffer and notice period. Our consultants go out of their way to keep you informed throughout every stage of the recruitment process.

      View our latest jobs and find your next opportunity!

      While all interviews and interviewers are different, there are some common interview questions that are asked to find out more about the candidate and how they deal with certain situations. We’ve compiled a list of some of those questions and guidance on how to confidently answer them.

      Tell me about yourself

      Some interviewers will start the conversation by giving a little insight into the business and will then most likely ask you to tell them a little bit about yourself.

      Give them a quick summary of who you are and what you have been doing and some insight on any experience you’ve had which is relevant to the job. It’s a great point in the interview to mention your top achievements and to say why you think you’d be perfect for the role.

      The interviewer won’t want to hear your life story or about your family history here. Make sure to talk about experience relevant to the position instead. 

      Why are you looking to leave your current role

      Make sure you are honest about why you’re looking for work, but try not to talk too negatively about your current employer. Try focusing on something like you are looking for new challenges, possibly even highlighting aspects of the job you are interviewing for which aren’t available with your current employer.

      Tell me about a tricky situation you have dealt with and how you solved it

      When being asked this kind of question, the interviewers want to find out more about your negotiating skills or potential clashes with colleagues. The best way to approach these type of interview questions is to explain the situation, how you resolved it and what the outcome was.

      Try to steer clear of describing a situation where you caused conflict as this might give them the wrong impression.

      What are your weaknesses

      Being asked this question can be quite daunting, but don’t let it scare you. We previously dedicated a blog to this question that you may find useful.

      Talk about something you know isn’t your strongest point but which you are working on. Picking something that you can get training on and willing to develop will be the kind of answer the interviewer is looking for.

      What are your career goals?

      When answering these interview questions, it’s important to differentiate between your long-term and short-term career goals. Your long-term goals may be wider, overarching achievements that you would like to accomplish in the future. Whereas your short-term goals should be smaller, actionable objectives that may improve relevant skills or performance.

      The salary question

      Don’t undersell yourself here or say to the interviewer that you’re happy to take whatever they think will be best.

      A lot of job adverts will include a salary band and if this isn’t the case, you can take a look at similar roles and get a good idea of an appropriate salary from those. There may also be some room for negotiation between you and the employer, so bare this in mind.

      You can then justify what you are asking for by mentioning relevant knowledge and experience you will bring to the team.

      Do you have any questions

      Avoid asking about working hours and holidays here but instead, ask something about the business. Something you might have read about and you’d like to find out more. Maybe there is a new product or service they are launching which you can ask about. This shows the interviewer that you have done your research on the company. 

      You could also ask what goals and objectives the company has over the next, 3, 5, 10 years etc. This will indicate your interest in their mission and longer-term commitment to the business.

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career? 

      Advance TRS is growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. Find out more about our current opportunities or for a detailed and confidential conversation, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.

      “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

      Benjamin Franklin

      Never has the old adage been more appropriate than when thinking about interviewing. Many things about the interview process have changed or evolved in response to the global pandemic, including the inclusion and often used virtual interview. However, the importance of preparation remains a vital step. 

      Whilst the interview is an opportunity to learn more about the role and your potential new employer, it is important to make a strong first impression.

      Take a look at our helpful tips on how you can prepare for an interview and ensure that you stand out from the other applicants.

      Understand The Job

      Read through the job specification again and ensure you thoroughly understand any qualifications, qualities and background the employer is looking for. This will help you determine your previous experience and exactly what you wish to demonstrate in the interview.

      Make notes on key points or where you have any questions about the role or company. 

      Research

      Look at their company website, key personnel, social media platforms and note down any relevant information to have with you for the interview. Find out about:

      • Vision / Mission / Values / Purpose 
      • Key selling points and differentiators 
      • Key specialism and area of expertise
      • Service offerings
      • Geographical coverage 
      • Key milestones achieved 
      • Key messaging on social media / current campaigns

      Your CV 

      To help you prepare for an interview, it’s good practice to read through your CV. Do this prior to the interview and make sure you are aware of the information you have included. The interviewer will likely ask you to talk them through your CV. Decide which areas you wish to focus on and which parts can be skimmed over if less relevant to the role.

      Questions 

      Come to the interview with some well prepared questions that demonstrate your interest and intent for the company and role. An employer will often ask if you have any questions, so make sure you have a list of about 3-5 questions (possibly more depending on the situation).

      Pre-Preparation

      Face to Face: Plan your journey beforehand and leave plenty of time to get there early. If you are unable to demonstrate good timekeeping, you will be on the back foot for the rest of the interview. It is better to arrive early, be able to grab a coffee and mentally prepare yourself for the interview ahead.    

      Depending on your mode of transport, there are some great journey planner and travel apps to assist your preparation.

      Telephone: Make sure you are somewhere quiet with good phone reception. Set up a space where you can focus and have a surface where you can keep any documents to hand or write notes. Make sure any other devices are on silent/do not disturb and make sure you pick up the first call.   

      Video: Test your camera and microphone set up before your meeting. Do a couple of test runs with the specific software being used to become familiar with the software. Often you can open the interview link early to test your camera and mic. Make sure you are in a quiet location with strong wifi signal and good lighting so you can be clearly seen. Make sure your background is suitable and you are well presented. Click the link in good time to make sure you do not miss the meeting. 

      First Impression 

      First impressions are key in all walks of life, especially interviews. Ask the employer or recruiter (if you’re speaking with one) what the dress code is so you can dress appropriately. If it is face to face, be early for the meeting and enter with a firm handshake whilst maintaining eye contact throughout the interview. Non-verbal communication can be just as important as anything you say, so use confident, accessible body language. Smile frequently, maintain a good posture and stay relaxed.

      If the meeting is virtual, even though you may not be able to be seen, your posture dictates a lot about how your voice is perceived. Make sure if seated, you are comfortable, and sitting upright (not slumped).

      Consider your answers

      Though it’s hard to know exactly what questions you’ll be asked, you can prepare for your interview by considering how you will answer. Ensure you respond truthfully, tying your answers back to any key skills and accomplishments. Keep your answers short and focused on the question you’ve been asked, to avoid rambling and going off topic.

      As much as possible, avoid speaking negatively about your current or former employers/colleagues. Your new employer will be looking for a positive approach and ability to overcome challenges. Even if you’re feeling discouraged, try to explore the good things, what you’ve learned and what you’ve gained from your experience.

      Closing 

      The final part of the interview is a great opportunity for you to close the client/sell yourself so don’t be afraid to ask how they felt the interview went. Did they have any reservations? What are the next stages? These will give you clarity and further opportunity to shut down any of their reservations.


      Advance TRS

      For more helpful interview tips, and job search advice check out our other Advance Advice articles.

      We have a variety of opportunities available on our job boards and a team of talented consultants to speak to on 01483 361 061.

      We’ve rounded up some top news stories from across the Built Environment

      National Rail Christmas and New Year engineering works complete

      Network Rail have completed hundreds of Christmas and New Year projects across Britain’s railway. Giving you better and more reliable journeys for the long term. Read more…

      Leaves on the line: a thing of the past?

      Poor adhesion is now in the news following the collision between two trains at Salisbury Tunnel Junction, on the evening of 31 October. Read more…

      Construction project starts dip but contract awards soar in mixed picture for sector

      The number of construction projects started at the back end of the year has dropped sharply. However, a spike in contract awards indicates that the sector remains on track as it recovers from the Covid-19 hit. Read more…

      Kier wins 142 rental home job at BBC TV centre site

      Joint venture developer Stanhope, Mitsui Fudosan has picked Kier to build 142 affordable homes at its wider former BBC Television Centre development in West London. Read more…

      Anglian Water CEO Peter Simpson says cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to tackle challenges and find solutions

      It was a huge breakthrough to see water play a central role for the first time at any COP, with the first ever dedicated Water Pavilion and widespread acknowledgement that water is critical to the climate debate. Read more…

      Water UK launches campaign to get the UK winter ready

      Industry body Water UK is encouraging customers to take some immediate steps, such as lagging pipes and checking central heating, to ensure they stay safe and warm over the winter months. Read more…

      Browse our latest jobs.
      Register for job alerts here.

      Having a personal statement on your CV is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to prospective employers. It should be a short paragraph, around 5-6 lines, detailing your attributes, what you can offer the company, and your career goals.

      We’ve put together some top tips on writing your personal statement:

      What should you include?

      You should think about the following points:

      • A statement about who are you
      • What you currently do? (if applicable)
      • What are your career goals/what are you searching for?
      • Your value to the company

      As employers will only spend a short time reviewing your CV, it’s important to highlight your potential straight away.

      Why you should vary your personal statement:

      If you have time, it would be beneficial to adapt your personal statement each job you apply for. This allows you to make it as relevant as possible to the role you are applying for. Make sure you do your research on the specific requirements the employer is asking for, both for the job and personal skills. This shows potential employers that you understand the requirements for the role.

      Employers may also use applicant tracking systems that analyse your CV for keywords and phrases. Having these included in your personal statement, increases your chances of being seen and progressed in the application stage.

      Remember, your personal statement gives you a chance to sell yourself in one paragraph. The rest of your CV is your work experience and your qualifications, so this gives you the opportunity to add that personal touch.

      How to structure your statement:

      • State who you are – Begin your statement by detailing who you are, your qualities and where you are in your career. Use of buzzwords can capture the attention of potential employers and help you stand out from the crowd.

      Example: As an experienced project manager, I have over 10 years of experience across the rail industry. I am a reliable and well-organised manager, bringing a variety of expertise and knowledge to the table

      • Communicate your value – The second section should state why you are suitable for the role and what value you bring to the company. This is your chance to highlight any key achievements relevant to the position and distinct qualities.

      Example: In my current role, my determination and proactive approach resulted in several successful completions of important projects. The combination of my time management, communication and decision-making skills ensured maximum productivity of each project and of those involved.

      • Detail your career goals – In the final part of your statement, you should explain what your career goals are and why you’re applying for this role.

      Example: I am now coming to the end of my current role and am seeking a new challenge. I’m looking for a position which will allow me to contribute my skills and experience, whilst increasing my current knowledge.

      Advance TRS

      For more helpful tips and job search advice check out our website. We have various Advance Advice articles that cover all aspects of job hunting.

      If you are looking for a new career in the built environment, contact us today on 01483 361 061. Alternatively, contact us via email at info@advance-trs.com. We have plenty of permanent and contract roles across all our sectors. Our recruiters are here to help!

      Despite the challenges of 2021, the Advance TRS team have had some big celebrations as the company reached an incredible 10-year milestone. From its humble beginnings in 2011, Advance TRS has shown remarkable growth. It has gone from a £0 to a £25m turnover business, delivering MSPs and RPOs for some of the biggest businesses in the built environment. To this day the team work closely with clients and candidates to provide honest, reliable, and top-quality recruitment solutions.

      In the second part of our blog series, we sit down with Andy, Founder and Group Managing Director, to discuss the company today and what makes Advance TRS different.

      Where is the business currently?

      Andy: Right now, we are very established. Each sector has developed a strong client base and recognised recruiters that have a deep understanding of their sectors, from both the client and candidates. They have learnt what the clients expectations and requirements are, plus what a candidate wants, and needs. We offer a professional service and expert advice to our clients. With this critical client base, we can operate fantastic recruitment solutions.

      The pandemic, the general election and Brexit have all had a knock-on effect to the recruitment market. This has been challenging at times, however, we have not let this slow us down. We stayed motivated and worked hard, no matter what the circumstances. The markets are recovering well and now picking up pace on projects or programmes that had been delayed during the challenging period. This creates a greater need for us to deliver suitable candidates and help catch up on any delays.

      The future is looking very exciting for Advance TRS! We’re expanding geographically and aiming for a greater presence in London. This would give us the opportunity to attract a different portfolio of recruitment consultants. We can offer a greater service, with even more experience and knowledgeable people.

      What makes Advance TRS different?

      Andy: Despite being a SME business we are running two successful offices and looking to open a third. We are committed to delivering our service in a responsible, safe, and sustainable way. From our environmental footprint to site-based health and safety, and from legal compliance to giving back to local communities, our attention to detail and dedication to delivering a quality service rings true throughout everything we do.

      From the beginning, staff wellbeing and company values have been highly important to me. I’ve tried to nurture a close office culture, where colleagues work together and look out for each other. It is a culture we work hard to protect and continue, so finding the right people for the company is just as important as finding the right people for the job. By collaborating in a friendly, open office, we work together to deliver the best possible service for our customers.

      Advancing those less fortunate has also been a central motivator for me and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff have raised over £65,000 for charities, completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate.

      So, why join Advance?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      Working with our experienced training and development team, you’ll develop your skills and abilities even further to ensure you reach your maximum potential in your role. We also have a company intranet, with online training courses available for your own progress.

      As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

      https://www.advance-trs.com/about/careers-at-advance/

      Do you need an up-to-date CV? Remember your CV represents you to your future employer. Your employer wants to know why they should hire you and not any of the other applicants. So, how do you make your CV and experience stand out? Here are some top tips from our team that you need to think about when writing your CV.

      Register on our website to get access to free CV template downloads, and other helpful resources. 

      Presentation

      When structuring your CV, remember employers see lots of applications for each role, so if yours doesn’t make the right information easily accessible it will go straight to the bottom of the pile. The simpler it looks, the easier it is to read.

      • Invest time to tailor your personal summary specifically for the job you are applying for. This is your primary opportunity to highlight your strengths and previous successes
      • Follow on from this with your qualifications
      • Keep the font to one standard type and size
      • Don’t begin each sentence with ‘I’. Unfortunately, it is not the way to create a compelling CV
      • Keep your education and job history in chronological order. It makes sense to put the most recent achievement or job at the top of the list as this is what the employer is interested in

      Be truthful

      Noting down truthful experience is essential. If you feel that you have to add in an experience you haven’t completed, this job is not for you! Note down all experience you think is related to the job you are wanting to apply for and you will find the perfect employer who wants to invest in you.

      Employment history

      Keep this short and sweet. Employers don’t need to know every job you’ve had throughout your life. If you think, on average, 50 people apply for every job on the market. If those 50 people all have 8 paged CVs, the employer will quickly become disinterested in reading through all of that information. Save the long explanations of your employment for your interview. Just note the job role, the company and the dates you worked there and add a little bit more information on what you’ve done in your most recent roles.

      Check, check and check again – no typos!

      Checking your spelling and grammar is essential. You might want to ask someone to look over your work as well as using spell check and looking up any words you’re unsure of!

      TOP TIP!
      Why not check out some brilliant spelling and grammar checkers to improve your writing? We particularly like Grammarly.

      Make your CV role specific

      Make sure you tailor your CV to suit the job you’re applying for. It’s very tempting to try to cut corners with a generic ‘one size fits all’ CV, but it is unlikely you’ll get away with it. Always read the role’s exact requirements and re-word your CV accordingly. This will involve you doing your research so you know exactly what the employer is looking for, it may take a bit of effort, but if it puts you one step closer to your dream job so it’s well worth it!

      Once you are convinced that your CV meets all the job criteria and portrays you in the best possible way you are ready to search and apply!

      Take a look at our Advance Advice for more help with CVs, interview preparation, and all things relating to your job search!

      This weeks news from across the Built Environment

      How storms and flooding affect the railway

      Floods, high winds and landslips can destroy railway infrastructure and block lines. Network Rail teams repair damage and clear debris to ensure trains can continue to run. Read more…

      Rail operator unveils first co-operative energy project on UK rail network

      The new initiative is expected to save up to 50 tonnes of carbon a year, generating over 200,000 kW hours of electricity. Read more…

      Government ‘collusion’ with construction sector allowed combustibles loophole

      The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has told that hundreds of high-rise buildings in the UK were clad with combustible materials because the government failed to crack down on a loophole after colluding with the construction industry. Read more…

      Glow-in-the-dark concrete used on first commercial scheme

      A glow in the dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates light at night has been used for the first time on a major commercial development in Derbyshire. Read more…

      Initiatives boost opportunities for women in water

      British Water’s unique Women on Water campaign continues to build momentum, with the renewal of a successful mentoring programme and the announcement of an in-person networking reception. Read more…

      Water retailers opt for new United Utilities in-house meter reading service

      United Utilities has seen a growing uptake by water retailers of its non-household meter reading service – more than 90 per cent of non-household meters in the North West are now being read by the water company. Read more…

      Browse our latest jobs.
      Register for job alerts here.

      Recent news from the construction industry

      Pandemic detonates workforce age timebomb

      The pandemic has triggered an exodus of more than 100,000 skilled workers as they vanish from the industry’s core 45-55 years old age group. Read more…

      Construction output shows the fastest rise in four months

      HIS Markit and CIPS UK report that UK construction companies have indicated a sharp increase in business activity, and the fastest upturn in commercial work. Read more…

      Government ‘collusion’ with construction sector allowed combustibles loophole

      The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has told that hundreds of high-rise buildings in the UK were clad with combustible materials because the government failed to crack down on a loophole after colluding with the construction industry. Read more…

      Glow-in-the-dark concrete used on first commercial scheme

      A glow in the dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates light at night has been used for the first time on a major commercial development in Derbyshire. Read more…

      Regulator vows to increase scrutiny of National Highways investment plans

      The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has vowed to increase its scrutiny of future road funding for the strategic road network as plans are drawn up for the third road investment strategy (RIS3). Read more…

      Browse our latest Construction jobs here.
      Register for job alerts here.

      This September the Advance TRS team celebrates the recruitment agency’s remarkable 10-year milestone, as they gear up for some well-deserved anniversary celebrations in London at the end of the month.

      In the past decade, the business has shown incredible growth, starting as a one-man band and turning into a £25m business. Founder and Group Managing Director Andy Ridout employs some of the industry’s most knowledgeable recruitment experts who provide a 5-star service to both clients and candidates. 

      In this 3-part blog series, Andy tells us what sparked the idea of setting up the business, where he sees the company going in the coming months and years and reveals some exciting plans. 

      Andy, what motivated you to start your own recruitment business 10 years ago and what was your vision?

      Andy: I come from a recruitment background. Prior to setting up Advance TRS, I had already spent 25 years being a leading recruitment expert in the built environment. I saw a lot of poor quality service that barely scratched the surface, so I wanted to offer a service that really focused on quality over quantity, building close relationships with clients, getting a deep technical understanding of their needs to be able to find the top-quality talent they’re looking for.

      I also knew I wanted it to be a multi-sector business within the built environment to enable us to cross-sell skill sets and opportunities that would complement each other.

      How has the business changed in the past decade? 

      Andy: In the beginning, I knew we needed to build a good reputation, establish our presence on the market and deliver what we said we would, to the high-quality standards we had set ourselves. Being such a small team at the beginning, it wasn’t always easy but we worked hard and it paid off. 

      In no time at all Advance TRS started attracting top sector experts into the business, seasoned recruiters who know their industries and who live by the same values we had set for ourselves. And there’s no end in sight! We continue to grow and recruit new team members who bring the right ethos and drive. 

      These fantastic individuals have been integral in driving the business forward. Our grown Guildford and South Coast teams are stronger than ever and we’re ready to take the business to the next level.

      Why Advance TRS?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

      Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

      As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

      Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

      During the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. In addition to that, many young people graduate from university each year and it can be challenging to find a job.

      We are a rapidly growing recruitment business always looking for motivated individuals to join our team! In this two-part blog series, we have spoken to some of our colleagues about how they got into recruitment and whether they felt that their experience of having gone to university helped them in their job.

      In this week’s post, we find out more from Water & Infrastructure Director Rob and his colleague Alex, Principal Consultant on the Advance TRS water team.

      If you haven’t read part 1, you can find it here.

      What is your degree? 

      Rob: I studied Environmental Science at the University of Southampton.

      Alex: I went to the University of Portsmouth and have got a BA (Hons) in Architecture.

      How did you get into recruitment? 

      Rob: At the time, I went to a careers fair where I met a graduate recruiter. He was working at the business I later joined, so it all went from there. 

      Alex: My first child was born the day before I started my third year at University. Whilst this focused my mind to complete the third year I decided that I needed to start earning good money to provide for my family. Staying in architecture would have meant a further one to two years in a work placement, followed by another year to complete a Masters Degree which would have meant struggling financially. My best friend’s mum was the HR Director at a big recruitment firm at the time and I had heard that there was good money to be made in recruitment. Whilst having a fairly quiet disposition and not being a typical ‘salesperson’, I did have bucket loads of drive and determination so I thought I’d give it a shot.

      How has your degree and going to uni helped you in your career?

      Rob: My degree included units on key water and environmental management and engineering sectors so I have a good understanding of lots of the key components which I recruit for. Having a broad understanding of the technical aspects allowed me to focus on learning the nuts and bolts of recruitment and was definitely an advantage.

      Alex: The experience of university helped in my overall maturity and built my confidence in communicating with a variety of people. It also helped to instil and build various characteristics including drive, commitment, persistence, determination, work ethic, listening skills, initiative and innovation. Having good knowledge of architecture and the built environment helped me to adapt to recruiting within the civil engineering design sector as I already had an understanding of various aspects of the design & build process.

      Why Advance TRS?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

      Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

      As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

      Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

      During the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. In addition to that, many young people graduate from university each year and it can be challenging to find a job.

      We are a rapidly growing recruitment business always looking for motivated individuals to join our team! In this two-part blog series, we have spoken to some of our colleagues about how they got into recruitment and whether they felt that their experience of having gone to university helped them in their job.

      In this week’s article, we spoke to Client Services and Rail Signalling Director Sam and his colleague Josh, Principal Consultant on the Advance TRS rail team.

      What did you study? 

      Sam: I went to the University of Winchester where I studied Sports Management combined with Business Administration.

      Josh: I studied BA in Law and Business Management at Keele University.

      How did you get into recruitment? 

      Sam: A friend of a friend knew of some recruitment vacancies at a business in Twyford, the same company Advance TRS Founder and Group MD Andy Ridout and Operations Director Paul Merton worked for at the time. I didn’t hesitate and applied; there was high earnings potential and great opportunities for career progression. I also enjoy working with people which, as a recruiter, you do on a daily basis.

      Josh: A friend of mine ran a recruitment company and I did some work for him while I was at uni. I liked the work and the fast-paced, competitive environment that comes with recruitment and it all went from there.

      How has the experience of going to uni helped you in your career? 

      Sam: It has certainly taught me discipline and what it means to work hard, which have been really valuable traits working in recruitment. 

      Josh: Yes, to the extent it helps with being thorough in what you do and not take things at face value, which in recruitment can lead to issues down the line. It helps with discipline in terms of covering things off and not letting issues stay live.

      Why Advance TRS?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

      Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

      As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

      Check out our website to find out more or contact us!

      Created by The Women’s Engineering Society (WES), 23rd June 2021 marks International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), the only day in the calendar that celebrates women in engineering and similar professions.

      According to WES, latest figures show that just under 13% of the engineering workforce is female. INWED gives women engineers around the world a profile when they are still hugely under-represented in their professions. It plays a vital role in encouraging more girls and young women to take up engineering careers.

      In 2020 the International Women in Engineering Day Twitter campaign recorded a potential impact of 103 million, with the official #INWED hashtag trending at number one in the UK on the day. The website was viewed 56,000 times during the month of June, with hundreds of events registered and taking place in countries all across the world.

      In a blog we published recently, we spoke about a BBC article on the topic of youth unemployment and women between 15 to 24 being most affected in the UK. After reading the article, Advance TRS Group Managing Director Andy Ridout decided to offer three fast-track positions to young women wanting to start a career in recruitment.

      We’re hiring

      At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

      We are currently recruiting for a number of positions across our Guildford and South Coast teams in recruitment, payroll and sales administration. Check out our latest opportunities.

      Why Advance TRS?

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      As recruiters we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

      Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

      As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives

      (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

      Check out our website to find out more!

      Read our blog on what support different organisations in the built environment offer women already working in or looking to pursue a career in engineering.

      The BBC recently reported that during the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. Young people were more affected by this, with young women aged 15 to 24 being hit the hardest. 

      That is partly because women are more likely than men to work in some of the hardest-hit industries such as hospitality. The International Labour Office (ILO) estimated that around the world, about 55% of workers in hotel, catering and tourism were women.

      Some have been looking for a new role for almost two years with no luck. Businesses are still struggling, and while recruitment in some areas is on the rise, other industries are still very cautious or simply can’t afford to employ again yet.

      Advance TRS creating opportunities for young people

      “I was really moved by this, no young person should have to struggle so much to find a job or start a career.” explained Andy Ridout, Founder and Group MD of Advance TRS. As a father of teenagers who will soon be job hunting themselves, he understands why being rejected for roles time and time again can knock applicants’ confidence.

      We are hiring

      In order to help combat the issue, especially when it comes to young women being unable to find employment, Andy came up with the idea of opening three fast-track recruitment trainee jobs in the company’s Guildford head office. This will provide ambitious young women with an opportunity to start a career in recruitment and, depending on their drive and motivation, quickly move up the career ladder with nearly unlimited earning potential.

      If you are under the age of 30 and currently looking for a new job, contact us to find out more about the programme! 

      We also have several other exciting opportunities available across the business. Take a look at those here and apply today! 

      We look forward to hearing from you! 

      About Advance TRS

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

      As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

      Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

      Find out more about what it’s like to work at Advance TRS

      World Environment Day has become a platform to raise awareness on the dangers to our environment such as air and plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, sea-level increase and food security to name just a few. 

      The theme this year is Ecosystem Restoration, which means assisting the recovery of destroyed ecosystems and conserving those that are still intact. It can take many forms, from growing trees, to rewilding gardens, changing diets, making cities greener or cleaning up rivers and coasts. Healthier ecosystems with richer biodiversity yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils, bigger yields of timber and fish, and larger stores of greenhouse gases.

      The official World Environment Day website holds a wealth of information on how this awareness day came about, what we can all do to help the environment and much more. Take a look to see what you might be able to do, as even the smallest changes can have a big impact. 

      There are many things businesses can do to become more environmentally friendly too, from cutting down on paper to turning off computers when not in use and switching off the lights when leaving the office in the evening. We previously published a blog with some suggestions.

      At Advance TRS, we care about the environment and we are making more and more changes to make sure that we minimise our impact on it. If you want to work for a business that places the environment as a priority, send your CV to info@advance-trs.com or take a look at our latest vacancies.

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, continuing to improve equality, diversity and inclusion is vital to us at Advance TRS. We always strive to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all, and we work with our clients to help them do the same. 

      In a series of interviews we have spoken to some of the talented women working at Advance TRS and asked them what challenges they might have faced in their careers so far and what advice they would give other women wanting to start working in their sectors.

      In this part of the blog series we spoke to Senior Resourcer Emily and Client Services Delivery Manager Louise.

      What made you want to start a career in your sector? 

      Louise: I have always worked in a sales environment ever since finishing college, and I thrive on working towards a target and being driven by earning commission. The last 10 years have been in the recruitment sector and I would never look back. It can be a rollercoaster ride, the highs are high but the lows can be really low. However for me, I wouldn’t change it as being rewarded for working hard is what motivates me every day. I have always been competitive whether that be in sports or work and enjoy the challenge of constantly pushing myself to be better.

      Emily: I’ve always been interested in a career in recruitment, it’s always seemed like a job I wanted to do. The role itself is rewarding in so many ways; you’re given great career development opportunities, you get to help people reach their career goals, you have the incentive of earning additional income by working hard. Working in rail wasn’t something I initially ever saw myself being capable of doing, but it’s been great learning about an interesting sector that was brand new to me. I think the best and honest way to describe being in recruitment is that it’s a feast and famine environment but the good massively outweighs the bad because there is so much reward in doing well. 

      Is there anyone that inspires you in your career? 

      Louise: You always look up to the “top billers” within the company and strive to get closer to them. Obviously our MD Andy is a huge inspiration as he has taken Advance TRS from nothing to where we are today. I also admire our Finance Director Carolyn, as she has made her way to a Board Director position through her hard work and commitment to the company and as the only female Director she of course is also inspiring to me!

      Emily: Everyone at Advance TRS inspires me. Everyone has achieved something and it’s great to see others doing well as it’s a great insight into the potential your career has.

      If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why? 

      Louise: My nan, Marilyn Monroe, Beyonce

      Emily: Princess Diana, Kim Kardashian, my Auntie 

      Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector? 

      Louise: You have to be thick skinned to work in recruitment, strong willed and persistent. Never give up and even if you get knocked back pick yourself up and try again

      Emily: Stay positive, trust in yourself and be confident in your work, always be willing to pick yourself back up after a setback and not let it affect you and don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd.

      How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you? 

      Louise: I think it’s very important for women to support other women, we should embrace each other’s strengths and not feel threatened or jealous but be proud of each other.

      Emily: It is extremely important for women to feel empowered and to empower other women in return, It’s the greatest gift we can give each other and it doesn’t cost a penny.

      How do you find being a woman working in your sector? 

      Louise: Being in recruitment, it is quite a male-driven environment, particularly with the sectors we work in, so it can be tough as you do find you are the minority but the key is to stand strong and don’t be a pushover. Also it’s nice giving the boys a run for their money too!! (Nothing like a bit of healthy competition)

      At Advance TRS we are always looking for talented and driven new team members. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

      To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 was all about nature and the positive effect it has on our mental wellbeing. In a previous blog, we spoke about a great article Mentalhealth.org.uk published, talking about their top tips on connecting with nature to improve your mental health.

      Growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of physical and psychological benefits and in this post, we wanted to share some of our favourite ideas with you.

      Growing space

      Not everyone has access to a garden, so instead, you could plant salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot and watch them grow.

      Bring nature to your home

      Buy yourself some potted plants or flowers, or arrange a comfortable space to sit by a window where you can look out over a view of trees or the sky.

      Connect with animals

      The positive effect animals have on our mental health are well-known, so maybe you could benefit from visiting a local farm, hanging a bird feeder outside your window or even borrowing your friend’s dog to take for a walk.

      Help the environment

      There are countless things you can do to help protect the environment, for example going on a litter picking walk – you will be surprised how much rubbish you will find! Or, if you have some outdoor space of your own, you could plant seeds, such as bushes and flowers to help bees and other wildlife. 

      It’s the simple things

      If the above don’t really work for you, you could simply enjoy your morning cup of coffee or tea outside or sit in the local park during your lunch break. 

      There are many more things you can do to help you (re)connect with nature. Mental health charities like mind.org.uk, as well as the MentalHealth.org.uk website offer great resources to help you.

      At Advance TRS, we prioritise our staff’s wellbeing. We offer a Wellbeing Hub and have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders, who will act as the first point of contact for anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

      We are currently recruiting, so if you want to work for a company that places mental wellbeing and dealing with the causes of stress as a priority, send us your CV or take a look at our latest vacancies.

      Today, Monday 10th May, marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, and this year, the theme is nature. 

      Nature is vital to our psychological and emotional health. In fact, it is almost impossible to achieve mental wellbeing without a connection to the natural world. You might even have noticed before how much better you feel after a walk or simply spending some time outside. This is because for a big chunk of human history, we lived as part of nature and this only drastically changed with the last five generations, when many of us lived and worked much more separated from it. 

      The good news is, you don’t have to go for a 10k run or 2-hour long walk everyday to reap the benefits of being outdoors. Even short amounts of time reduce feelings of social isolation and protect our mental health efficiently while also preventing stress.

      There are many ways you can reconnect with nature and even bring it to you! Mentalhealth.org.uk have published a great article and an accompanying document listing some of their top tips on the topic. You can find the blog here.

      At Advance TRS, we prioritise our staff’s wellbeing. We offer a Wellbeing Hub and have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders, who will act as the first point of contact for anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

      We are currently recruiting, so if you want to work for a company that places mental wellbeing and dealing with the causes of stress as a priority, send us your CV or take a look at our latest vacancies.

      As a rapidly growing recruitment business, continuing to improve equality, diversity and inclusion is vital to us at Advance TRS. We always strive to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all, and we work with our clients to help them do the same. 

      In a series of interviews we have spoken to some of the talented women working at Advance TRS and asked them what challenges they might have faced in their careers so far and what advice they would give other women wanting to start working in their sectors.

      We are starting this short blog series with our Accounts Manager Michelle, and Katie, who is our Compliance & Administration Manager.

      What made you want to start a career in your sector?

      Michelle: I always wanted to start a career in accounting as it has been my lifelong goal. It wasn’t until my school friend passed away that gave me the push to start up a course in accounting at college and then apply to be a junior accounts assistant at Advance TRS. I haven’t looked back since.

      Katie: To be honest I fell into my career at Advance TRS. I was going away travelling around Asia when a now-colleague found my CV online and persuaded me to come for a coffee before I left. When I returned from my adventure I started my new job! 

      Is there anyone that inspires you in your career? 

      Michelle: I don’t have anyone in particular who has inspired me but I always look up to people who do their best every day.

      Katie: I find seeing the success of my colleagues inspires me daily, especially the strong successful women at Advance TRS. 

      If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why? 

      Michelle: Tina Turner – after years of domestic abuse, physical and mental, she rose above to become one of the most powerful female black artists in the world. 

      Caitlyn Jenner – the strength she has to publicly become the woman she wants to be.

      Katie Piper – the confidence to tell her story and reclaim her life after such a horrific ordeal. She’s done a lot of campaigning and documentaries getting people talking about mental health, domestic abuse etc.

      Katie: Michelle Obama (who wouldn’t want dinner with Michelle!), Rhianna because I think her success is inspiring, and my mum.

      Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector?

      Michelle: I don’t believe there is any specific advice depending on gender. If you work to your best potential everyday that’s all that matters.

      How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you? 

      Katie: Support, empowerment and positivity amongst women is so important, there is no end to what can be achieved when you look out for one another and lift each other up.

      What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?

      Michelle: If you believe you can do something, you can. It does not matter who you are or where you are from, you just need to believe.

      How do you find being a woman working in your sector? 

      Katie: It is a very male dominated environment, but I think that only makes you stand up more, be confident and strive to succeed. 

      Why do you think diversity in the workplace is so important?

      Michelle: I think that having diversity in the workplace is very important. Having a diverse team means we have a variety of ideas and perspectives. Everyone is being valued and accepted regardless of age, gender, religious beliefs, etc.

      At Advance TRS we are always looking for talented and driven new team members. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

      To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      Once again, the team at Advance TRS got involved in fundraising activities, this time to help the amazing children’s charity Railway Children, which we have been involved with numerous times in the past. 

      At Advance TRS, helping charities by fundraising regularly is at the heart of what we do. We care about others and we want to help make a difference.

      The charity

      Railway Children has been fighting for children alone and at risk on the streets for over 22 years. During that time, they’ve reached more than 275,000 children in India, the UK and East Africa.

      Children run away or are forced to leave home where they suffer poverty, violence, abuse and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to go and no one left to turn to. The problems they face on the streets are often even worse than those they endured at home. 

      Railway Children’s pioneering work enables them to get to street children before the streets get to them. You can read more about this brilliant charity on their website.

      Last year, the charity’s ‘Sleepout’ was very popular, however, for obvious reasons it wasn’t possible to repeat the event this year, and therefore, the equally successful ‘Sleep In’ was launched. 

      Help us make a difference

      Changing the format of the event meant the whole family was able to join in and give up the comfort of their usual beds for one night, by sleeping in whatever temporary camp they set up at home. Many of our colleagues built dens in their living rooms which you can see on our Instagram page.  

      We set ourselves an ambitious target of £500 to raise for Railway Children. We recognise the impact the past year has had on everyone, including charities, and we would love to be able to help them make a difference! 

      We haven’t reached our target yet and are grateful for every single donation, no matter how big or small! Our JustGiving page is still live and if you would like to donate, you can do so here.

      Thank you to everyone for your generosity!

      Advance TRS recently celebrated Emily Hajek’s promotion to Senior Resourcer within the Rail team. Having first joined the business in August 2019, Emily quickly proved to be a driven and dedicated member of the team and has earned the promotion through her hard work.

      Emily swiftly settled into her role at Advance TRS has built a strong network of contacts. She is always keen to gain an in-depth understanding of what her clients and candidates are looking for, to ensure that she finds the perfect solution to suit all requirements. 

      “It is a real pleasure having Emily on the Rail Recruitment team. Despite the changes in working conditions during the pandemic, he has proven her value by putting in the effort and going above and beyond.” explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

      Emily assumed her new role of Senior Resourcer in March 2021 and is responsible for dealing with permanent, contract and temporary placements, sourcing suitable candidates and dealing with everyday queries. 

      Rail recruitment at our core

      We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

      We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today! (insert link to rail jobs page)

      We’re hiring

      At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

      We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

      For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      We would love to hear from you!

      Josh Hill first joined the Advance TRS Rail team as a Recruitment Consultant in January 2016 and has been progressing within his career and the company ever since.

      Now a Principal Consultant, Josh specialises in Civils & Permanent Way. He provides effective and efficient delivery and support to candidates and clients alike, using his knowledge of the rail sector and project delivery to lead our Civils & PWay team.

      Prior to this, Josh built his experience running the business’ 4 Lines Modernisation (4LM) project delivery, placing white and blue collar signalling professionals in both permanent and contract roles across the London Underground upgrades.

      “Josh was instrumental in placing over 200 candidates on the 4LM project, the largest signalling works of its kind in the world.”

      explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

      “He builds strong relationships with his clients to make sure he understands their requirements, which means he manages to quickly source the right candidates for the roles. I am excited to see what the future holds for Josh’s career here at Advance TRS.” 

      Josh specialises in civil and permanent way engineering for the UK rail & metro network and has developed a strong understanding of the industry and key client businesses. 

      Rail recruitment at our core

      We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

      We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today! (insert link to rail jobs page)

      We’re hiring

      At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

      We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

      For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      We would love to hear from you!

      During the week of International Women’s Day, some of our team members attended a webinar hosted by APSCo and Women in Recruitment, who had invited inspirational guest speaker Yetunde Hofmann to talk about the importance of recognising who you are and how to really value what you bring to an organisation.

      Yetunde, who has a professional background in HR, is a thought leader on culture and behaviour. She is the author of the book Beyond Engagement and founder of a pioneering new leadership development programme for black women called Solaris.

      While this thought-provoking webinar was geared towards women, it provided us with great food for thought that we believe everyone can benefit from and we wanted to share this with you in this blog.

      Take time for yourself

      Do you take any time out of your busy schedule to do something for yourself? And by that we don’t mean exercising, but taking some time for selfcare. That could be reading a book, having a relaxing bath or listening to a podcast. 

      This is really important as it will help you to recharge your batteries and feel more energised again. After all you can’t drink from an empty cup!

      Value yourself

      Who hasn’t been in a situation when you doubted yourself and feel that you need others’ approval or confirmation. Start acknowledging and believing in yourself. Think about what your strengths truly are and remember that everyone is unique and has their own skills and talents. 

      When you are content with who you are you will notice the way you work with and support others shift and see extraordinary results. 

      To help you become more content within yourself, try to give the following questions some thought: 

      • What gets you motivated?
      • When are you at your best?
      • When are you at your worst?

      These are just some of the questions that will help you find out more about yourself. 

      Find your joy

      This can be and mean so many different things. For some it might mean finding a hobby they love, others find joy in simply being outside in nature and practicing mindfulness. 

      Ultimately, finding your joy will help you build your resilience from within. Take some time to dig deep and find out what really makes you feel that joy.

      These are only some of the core takeaways from Yetunde’s webinar. If you would like to find out more about Yetunde and read some more of her thought-provoking blogs on a variety of topics you can find her website here.

      At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

      If you would like to find out more about us and view current opportunities, please view our careers page. Or contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com for a discrete conversation.

      Advance TRS celebrated a number of promotions in the past few months. Amongst those was Jake Rodger’s promotion to Recruitment Consultant. Jake has been with the business since May 2019, when he joined the Rail team as a Resource Specialist and he has since become a valued member of the team.

      Within his role of Recruitment Consultant at Advance TRS, Jake has built a strong network of contacts and is always focused on sourcing talented candidates for his clients’ roles. While working mostly remotely, Jake didn’t let any of the events during the past year slow him down. 

      “Jake’s drive and dedication to the business and his work are admirable. He takes time to understand his clients’ requirements and continuously manages to swiftly source the right talent to fill the roles. I am excited to see Jake continue to grow in his role and excel in his career.” explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

      Jake took on his new role of Recruitment Consultant within the Rail Team in October 2020. His responsibilities now include using his extensive and established candidate network to work closely with client companies to find the best talent matches. 

      Jake specialises in the railway signalling sector and uses his strong understanding of the industry and key client businesses to source the best candidates for each requirement, in addition to offering advice to clients and candidates on rates, training and career progression, and supporting salary negotiations between candidates and clients.

      Rail recruitment at our core

      We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

      We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today!

      We’re hiring

      At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

      We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

      For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      We would love to hear from you!

      As the importance of closing the skill and pay gaps and bringing more equality to workplaces is being recognised more and more, many businesses adapt the way they recruit in order to attract higher numbers of female staff. Some also offer incentives or make pledges. 

      According to a recent article by STEM Women, the number of women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has increased by 216,552 since 2016. This has taken the total number over the 1 million mark for the first time ever and means that in 2019 women made up 24% of the STEM workforce in the UK.

      Looking at the data trends between 2009 to 2019 it is estimated that by 2030 there could be more than 29% of women in the STEM workforce. You can read the full article here. 

      At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all. 

      We work closely with our clients across the rail, water, property and construction sectors to support them to achieve a more diverse workforce. Search our latest opportunities or contact our consultants for a confidential conversation about your next step on 01483 361061.

      Check out our latest opportunities across the built environment.

      We have looked into what support different organisations in the built environment offer women already working in or looking to pursue a career in engineering and here is what we have found.

      The Women’s Engineering Society

      This is a great starting point for anyone. The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) was founded in June 1919 by a small committee drawn from the National Council of Women, which was created during the 1914-18 war to get women into work to release men for the armed forces.

      There are numerous resources on the website, from monthly newsletters, a Climate Emergency Group to different (online) events. You can also look for a new role on their job board. 

      They cover a wide range of topics and if you can’t find what you are looking for on their website, you can get in touch with them via phone or email.

      Women in Rail

      As the name suggests, this is more specific to women working in or looking to work in the rail sector. The organisation runs several events throughout the year, including awards ceremonies, and even offers a mentoring programme. The purpose of it is to provide a support platform for women and men in UK rail, champion diverse thinking, exchange ideas and promote diversity in the sector, starting with gender diversity as the core focus.

      The programme is also designed to help participants progress in their careers and has received endorsements from several key rail companies. 

      To find out more, simply head over to their website.

      Women into Construction

      A brilliant, not-for-profit organisation, providing bespoke support to women looking to work in construction. By assisting contractors to recruit trained, driven women, they help to reduce skills gaps and create a more gender-equal workforce.

      Some of the key businesses in construction are members of Women into Construction, working actively to increase gender diversity within their organisations. You can find their latest advertised roles there or take a look at WiC’s upcoming events. 

      Definitely a website worth visiting if you work in the sector or are thinking about joining it.

      British Water

      British Water has committed to improving gender equality in the water sector with its Women on Water Pledge. This includes increasing the number of women on its non-executive board. British Water has urged the rest of the industry to follow its lead.

      As an industry leader, British Water remains committed to supporting businesses and Women on Water will help drive growth through focusing on the productivity, well-being and advancement of those working within organisations’ teams. Read more about Women on Water here.

      Women in Recruitment

      As a recruitment business, Women in Recruitment is close to our hearts, as it offers firms like our own practical support in attracting, developing and retaining female talent, which helps not only us but also our clients and candidates. 

      The organisation gives individuals access to development tools, mentoring and networking opportunities designed to support successful and sustainable careers in recruitment.

      We have certainly benefited from being members and feel that it is enabling us to help our clients achieve their goals when it comes to recruiting more female talent across their businesses.

      You can find out more about Women in Rail here.

      At Advance TRS we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

      To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      Advance TRS are delighted to celebrate the promotion of Louise Oldham to Client Services Delivery Manager. Louise has been with the business for over 4 years and this promotion recognises her dedication, drive and hard work. 

      Within her role of Client Services Delivery Manager at Advance TRS, Louise now manages team members and will develop the Client Services division to deliver service level agreements for select MSP and RPO clients. 

      Louise’s main focus is developing a good understanding of client companies, their industry and work culture in order to build and nurture strong relationships, best understand clients’ assignments and swiftly source the best candidates for those requirements. With over 9 years’ recruitment experience, Louise has a proven track record in the sector and understands the importance of building a strong candidate and client network.

      During the successive lockdowns, Louise has been an essential team member, driving the adaption of processes to ensure safety for all throughout the hiring and candidate onboarding process. Louise has successfully ensured new starters have been successfully onboarded in their new roles with clients and supported whilst starting their new jobs remotely. 

      “Louise is a bubbly, friendly and very driven individual. She listens carefully to client specification and has an incredible talent for sourcing excellent, hard to find candidates for niche roles across a wide range of skillsets.”

      explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

      “Louise uses her talent for understanding client requirements, to lead her team in delivering high quality and effective recruitment solutions. Her promotion to Client Services Delivery Manager is well-deserved and I am excited to see her continue excel in her career.”

      Louise moved into her new role of Client Services Delivery Manager within the Rail Recruitment Team in January 2021. She is now responsible for the continued growth, success and effective service delivery of the Client Services team, and will be supporting the Client Services Director. 

      Having progressed to a managerial role, Louise will oversee internal training of staff members and will be in charge of setting and reviewing her team’s KPI driven objectives. She will be mentoring staff to further develop a learning culture within the Managed Accounts and Client Services divisions in addition to delivering against her own recruitment targets. 

      Advance TRS are delighted to celebrate the promotion of Sam Jennings to Director, Client Services and Rail Signalling. Sam has been with the business for over 6 and a half years and this promotion recognises years of dedication, success and hard work. 

      In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has managed the delivery of a series of Managed Service Programmes and Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnerships with key client accounts for the rail sector. 

      Most recently, Sam has been the fundamental project lead, working closely with a major client in the railway signalling sector to deliver a Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnership that has to date placed over 100 professionals in permanent contracts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Sam and his team have worked tirelessly through lockdowns and adapted processes to ensure safety for all throughout the hiring and onboarding process and he has worked with the client to ensure new starters have been successfully onboarded and supported whilst initiating work remotely. All this has been achieved, whilst maintaining the service level agreement, KPIs, sourcing over 100 professionals and maintaining all compliance standards. 

      Previously, over a period of 3 years, Sam oversaw and managed a team to deliver a contingent labour contract for the 4 Lines Modernisation project. This project to upgrade the signalling systems of four of London Underground’s most important railway lines: Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan, when complete, will boost the number of trains to 32 every hour. Sam managed a team of consultants internally in addition to an in-house delivery manager at the client, to deliver an ever-flexing workforce, from 80 up to over 200 workers at peak times that was always fully compliant to London Underground regulations. The team delivered impressive 100% fill rates for each possession and positively managed flexing demands in the workforce for a safe, compliant and successful programme of works. 

      Outside of his work with key clients in Client Services, Sam is incredibly well networked within the Railway Signalling sector and has led the Advance TRS rail signalling department, following in company founder, Andy Ridout’s footsteps. Railway signalling has been the founding core business of Advance TRS since establishing in 2011, and Sam has successfully developed the department in his time with the company. 

      “In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has been a key consultant to the business, leading teams to success. I am delighted to recognise his efforts with this significant promotion to Director,” 

      explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout. 

      “It has been a privilege to watch his evolution in the business and to work so closely with him over the last 6 and a half years. I am excited to see what is to come for Sam and the team as he continues to grow from strength to strength.” 

      New Role

      His new role as Director of Client Services and Railway Signalling is divided into two key areas of responsibility; overseeing and driving the success of the client services team and managing the railway signalling recruitment team. 

      As Director of Client Services, Sam is responsible for delivering service level agreements and key performance indicators for our key client partnerships, recruitment process outsourcing and managed service contracts. He works closely with clients to create and deliver custom recruitment solutions to support business needs, from contingent recruitment to managed services and recruitment process outsourcing. For key clients Sam acts as a delivery director, offering a single point of contact for line managers, working closely with the Advance TRS recruitment delivery team to fulfil technical recruitment SLAs and KPIs. 

      In addition, Sam will continue to use his extensive experience and wide network within Signalling Engineering on the mainline railway and London Underground to lead the Rail Signalling division at Advance TRS. He will continue his work to build a growing team of recruitment consultants to further build the division, recruiting for key clients across the UK and across all levels of seniority from Graduate to C-Suite hires.

      Charity / Fundraising 

      Sam has always played an active role in the company’s fundraising initiatives and most recently Sam led Advance TRS’s Movember efforts, raising money and awareness of health issues men face, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. 

      Sam has also previously completed the London Marathon and Surrey Half Marathon in aid of Action for Children, raising over £2,500 for the charity. Of the 3 representatives from Advance TRS who completed the London Marathon, Sam completed the marathon with the fastest time, clocking in at just under 4 hours. His incredible journey started the previous year when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a game of Sunday football. After months of tireless recovery, Sam began training again and achieved his target he set to enter and complete the London Marathon.

      Happy New Year! Many of us have had a Christmas break and you may have had time to think about your career. Maybe you decided that a job change is on the cards for you?

      Or maybe you worked over the festive period and this has given you the drive to look for a new job.

      Whatever your reason for wanting a new job, you need to know what to do next. So where do you start?

      1. Engage a specialist recruiter

      Good recruiters will have a comprehensive understanding of your market and current opportunities. Engaging recruiters is a quick way of tapping into this knowledge to help you in your search. They can proactively represent you! Even better, they already have a relationship with the hiring managers. They will be able to guide you through the entire job searching process. From interviews and salary negotiation to job offer and onboarding they should be there throughout.

      1. Update your CV

      It is very important to get your CV right. It is often the first impression potential employers have of you. Make sure you have a clean and clear layout and TRIPLE check your spelling and grammar. Get someone else to check it over for you as well. Highlight your key relevant experiences, education and certifications. Include all the details in your last 3 jobs, as this is likely to be how far your potential employer or a recruiter looks. Make sure your CV doesn’t exceed 2 pages if possible!

      You can find our free CV template here.

      1. Update your online CV

      Your social media profile can act as a virtual CV, it’s there 24/7 as your own personal advert to the job market. The sites you need to create or update are your LinkedIn Profile and chosen Joboard accounts.

      Create a LinkedIn profile or update your existing profile. Detail your relevant skills and experience to maximise your online presence. The more experience you list, the more searches you will appear in. Share your profile edits to draw attention to your refreshed profile among your followers.

      The number 1 reason people change jobs is career opportunity. A common way people discover a new job is through a referral. Social professional networks are the number 1 source of quality hires, followed by internet job boards and employee referrals. Now that LinkedIn has over 5 million members, businesses and recruiters are utilising this to look for new talent!

      You can choose to show recruiters and hiring managers, who are searching for potential candidates, that you are ‘open to opportunities’ on LinkedIn. This will not be visible to your current company but will alert hiring managers and recruiters that you are open to approaches!

      What is Advance TRS doing?

      For more guidance as you consider your job change, take a look at our advance advice page. We have a variety of job searching articles available, from CV writing tips to interview techniques.

      If you are looking for a new job in Rail, Water or Construction, contact us today on 01483 361 061 or head to our contact us page. We have plenty of permanent and contract roles across all of our sectors and our recruiters are here to help!

      The year is coming to an end and it’s usually around this time that many of us commit to resolutions we want to achieve over the next twelve months. If a new job or career is on your list then read our recommendations on what you can do now to set yourself up for success in the new year.

      Update your CV

      A great starting point – having an updated CV listing your most recent experience and relevant roles is very important. Make sure you keep it short and sweet and don’t include unnecessary detail.

      If you’re spending Christmas with your family or friends take advantage of having them around and ask them to check your CV. Some of them might have some great advice on what you can improve.

      Don’t forget your LinkedIn profile

      Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date too. That way, any recruiters or potential employers coming across your page can get a good overview of your experience.

      Time for new goals

      Use the time you have off over the Christmas period to set some new goals. Make a plan of how you want to achieve them and in what timeframe. This can really help keep you motivated and on track. Remember to stay SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound for the best results!

      Find a specialist recruiter

      A great way to find a job you really like is to work with a specialist recruiter in your area. Good recruiters will have a comprehensive understanding of your market and current opportunities. Engaging recruiters is a quick way of tapping into this knowledge to help you in your search. 

      Advance TRS

      If you’re looking for roles in the rail, water or construction sectors, our specialist teams might have the right one for you.

      You can contact our Recruitment Consultants for a conversation about your new career, our latest vacancies and to discuss any potential opportunities with them.

      While maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest, Advance TRS continue to grow. Therefore, we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this sounds like you and you’d like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution, we would love to hear from you!

      To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager, Jess.

      This year has seen some major ups and downs for every business. One thing we believe at Advance TRS is that it is so important to celebrate the highs when they happen to help make the lows more manageable.

      As we take some time to reflect on the year we cannot do so without celebrating the amazing new talent that has joined our business in 2020. They have dug in deep and worked hard, in many cases starting their new roles remotely.

      Starting new staff from home is not desirable but has been a reality many businesses have had to face and adapt to. All new members have been amazingly flexible and professional, proving to be real assets in their short time with the business so far.

      February

      Harry joined our business services team to support admin and compliance back in February, just before lockdown #1. He quickly settled into the team, ensuring our systems are up-to-date with candidate and other vital information and he is usually the first person you speak to when you call our main office line.

      Chloe joined our finance team a week after Harry and one month before lockdown. To say she had a baptism of fire is an understatement! Chloe had a crash course in our systems but was able to successfully draw on her own knowledge and experience to quickly get up to speed and add value to the team. Working throughout the year, often from home over webcam with the rest of the finance team, Chloe has mastered our payroll process and quickly progressed to Payroll Manager.

      Growing our South Coast team

      Our South Coast team was joined by Stuart and Sean in May and September respectively, while Tam was added to the team in November. All three of them have been adding value from day one, working hard whether they are based from home or in the office. Moving forward, they’ll benefit from the bigger office space secured in Port Solent, to enable working while adhering to social distancing rules with ease.

      Our rail team is joined by three new recruits

      More recently, Sam, Joe and Tom joined our rail team in Guildford during November and December. They quickly embedded themselves in the team and even joined in on our fundraising efforts in November, which you can read more about here.

      It is safe to say that everyone who has joined us this year has been a huge asset to the team and we would like to extend a big thank you to our new team members for adapting so well to our revised onboarding process and to the whole Advance TRS team for working hard this year, keeping the business going and growing. There is a long way to go yet to weather the storm that is COVID-19, however, we feel positive about the future and we’re ready to take on whatever 2021 has in store!

      At Advance TRS we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

      To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      The job market is constantly changing now more than ever, we have discussed the soft skills required to succeed in a post COVID world, but what about the hard skills that are in demand right now? In this monthly update we review the job roles in high demand right now. 

      Principal Civil Engineers 

      What does a Principal Civil Engineer do? The Principal Civil Engineer will lead the project team throughout the design and construction process, adapting civil plans according to budget constraints, design factors or client needs. Leadership skills and communication skills are crucial in their work. They also need to be creative to come up with innovative approaches to their projects and any issues that arise. 

      What are the benefits of working in civil engineering? Being a civil engineer is an exciting career choice. Civil engineering is about shaping the world and civil engineers work on some of the biggest and most high profile projects in society. From building new roads, railways, airports, sports stadiums, ports or off-shore oil platforms, a civil engineer will be involved from start to finish on these large scale projects. These projects can usually be multi-million or even multi-billion pound programmes so the pressure is on to make sure they are delivered on time and within budget. From early on in the career civil engineers are provided responsibility for certain aspects of a project. Furthermore, no two days in this job are the same. One day you could be in the office working on CAD designs then the following day you could be dealing with contractors, physically constructing work or undertaking site surveys.

      What are the current opportunities for Principal Civil Engineers? As specialist recruiters for the built environment we recruit civil engineers at all levels of experience across a wide range of sectors. Currently, our water and environment team are urgently seeking Intermediate to Principal Civil Engineers with experience in river and/or coastal engineering and flood risk management projects for a client working on the Environment Agency framework. Particularly candidates with a design consultancy background (optioneering, outline and detailed design) of flood defences, fish passes, weirs, river and coastal embankments, ports and maritime in the Haywards Heath, Peterborough and Leeds areas. 

      If you are looking to take your next step in your civil engineering career, browse our latest Principal Civil Engineer jobs which offer excellent career opportunities and competitive salaries in the market. Here are a couple of our hottest jobs this month:

      Property Managers 

      What does a Property Manager do? A property manager oversees and performs the daily operations of a real estate property. As a liaison between the property owner and the tenants of the property, a property manager ensures that both parties are satisfied with the property and its daily operations.

      What are the benefits of working in property management? Property Managers have a diverse role with exposure to a huge range of tasks, which can quickly strengthen your skill base and value as an employee. It also provides an incredible opportunity to establish a wide and varied knowledge of the real estate sector.  This job will give you insight and experience within the real estate world that will benefit you in future property management jobs or allow you to invest in real estate for yourself.

      What are the current opportunities for Property Managers? At Advance TRS our Property teamwork with some of the leading hirers of property managers in the country. A key focus for our clients at the moment is finding Property Managers that have dealt with EWS1 forms (evaluating the fire risk of the external wall system and assessing whether remedial works are required) and have experience of dealing with High Net Worth Individuals.

      If you are looking to take your next step in your property management career, browse our latest Property Manager jobs which offer excellent career opportunities and competitive salaries in the market. Here are a couple of our hottest jobs this month: 

      Permanent Way Supervisors

      What does a Permanent Way Supervisor do? Permanent Way Supervisors lead, direct and motivate staff within the Permanent Way team. They are responsible for maintaining all tools, plant, vehicles and other equipment of the Permanent Way Department, ensuring they are safe for use, returned to storage, and ready for the next job.

      What are the benefits of working in Permanent Way? Maintaining the physical system of rail tracks, or permanent way, is more important than ever for the UK’s complex and far-reaching rail network. As the network expands to meet increasing demands for more convenient and faster travel routes, the permanent way division must enlist a workforce that delivers high-level results. With the continued expansion and maintenance requirements of the rail network, nationally and internationally, permanent way engineers are in high demand, with opportunities to transfer skills to international rail networks. 

      What are the current opportunities for Permanent Way Supervisors? As specialist recruiters for the built environment, with an expert focus in the rail industry, we recruit permanent way engineers at all levels of experience on leading projects across the UK. If you are looking to take your next step in your permanent way career, browse our latest Permanent Way Engineer jobs which offer excellent career opportunities and competitive salaries in the market. Here are a couple of our hottest jobs this month:

      Other roles in high demand this month: 

      Technical Engineers 

      Depending on their industry, a technical engineer may build or set up equipment, conduct experiments, make models of new equipment, test products, collect data, or help design and develop products. In all areas, they find ways to make things work efficiently.

      Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE)

      The Contractor’s Responsible Engineer (CRE) is the person within a design and/or construction organisation with the responsibility for the day-to-day management and coordination of the technical and engineering activities for a specific engineering discipline / project and is responsible for ensuring the Construction and Installation teams follow the project approved Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) Process. 

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career?

      Advance TRS are growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      The COVID pandemic and events of 2020 have required everyone to adapt and change throughout the workplace in just about every industry you can imagine. But change does not have to be a negative, and can be a catalyst creating opportunities to find improvements and drive forward positive transformation. 

      Here are some of the key skills to help people succeed in this new time of uncertainty. 

      1. Adapting to change

      An ability to accept and adapt to change is essential, change has always been inevitable but more than ever before, those who can think quickly and embrace the new normal (at every phase) are those who succeed. Employers are increasingly looking for people who can move out of their comfort zone and see change as an opportunity for growth and innovation.

      Through the pandemic, you’ve likely faced and overcome new challenges that you didn’t foresee. So, although this may have felt difficult and uncomfortable at times, you will have been building up your resilience, adaptability and ability to deal with change in the process.

      You should take time to acknowledge how your mindset may have shifted in recent weeks and months. If you’ve noticed that you’ve managed to adapt to the changes quickly, it’s likely that you will have done so using a growth mindset, which is a great attribute to highlight in interviews with employers. 

      2. Creative problem solving

      With a rapidly changing world of work comes the demand for people who are quick to adapt and solve problems efficiently and effectively. As leaders involve their teams in problem-solving discussions, they are looking for professionals who can come up with creative ideas and solutions to ensure deadlines are met and results achieved, despite limited or perhaps strained resources.

      Chartered occupational psychologist Dr Maggi Evans explains some ways to help yourself to get your creative problem solving juices flowing;

      • Giving yourself some space; many people come up with their best ideas when they’re doing something unrelated, such as walking their dog
      • Be curious and playful; take fresh perspectives on a problem by asking yourself questions like, ‘What would my superhero do?’, ‘What if I had more time or limitless resources’, or ‘What if I had to find a solution today?’
      • Create a positive environment; if you’re working with a team on a challenging project, spend some time chatting or doing something positive first

      3. Enthusiasm

      People from all backgrounds and seniority levels will likely be feeling the pressure at the moment, from tough decision making to lingering uncertainty, by embracing the best and being enthusiastic to adapt, compromise, support and even upskill, you can set yourself apart. Your positivity and enthusiasm can be contagious and may just help set the tone for your team or be the positive kickstart someone needs to their day. 

      Furthermore, we now live in a world where everything can change almost overnight, and with this change comes demand for different skills. As a result, upskilling should have moved up your priority list. By devoting time now to upskilling and learning, you will be demonstrating to future potential employers your willingness to learn through how you used this time to better yourself and grow your knowledge base.

      Regardless of the industry, a willingness to learn and a desire to stay on top of current trends and changes relevant to your profession is valued by employers both large and small. Showing that you are willing to learn is key to learning about and understanding any new developments from a technical point of view, ultimately helping your organisation to progress. 

      4. Effective communication

      These above-mentioned skills are all well and good but get lost if you’re not able to communicate and demonstrate them successfully to others, such as a potential employer in a job interview.

      For example, stating that you are adaptable to change isn’t enough; you need to use your strong communication skills to illustrate just how adaptable you are, perhaps by providing examples. After all, employers favour jobseekers who possess exceptional communication skills and are comfortable speaking with people at all levels of an organisation in a professional manner.

      It’s worth acknowledging, too, that communication has now changed substantially and as we transition to a hybrid working world – with team members split between home-working and office-working – strong interpersonal and communication skills are only going to become more important as we learn and adapt to building and maintaining relationships, collaborating and sustaining productivity virtually rather than in person.

      Video calls, virtual conferences and online presentations also require new levels of self-confidence you might not currently possess, but will be able to develop in time.

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career?

      Advance TRS are growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      Current times can seem daunting, especially if you’re looking for a new job. Despite the pandemic, new roles are being added to job boards on a daily basis and businesses are still looking to recruit new talent. There are steps you can take to help you stand out in the job market.  

      Having a step-by-step list of things you can do can give you focus and make the process seem less overwhelming. Check out our guide to help you kick start your search.

      Give your CV some attention

      Updating your CV should be your very first point of action. Bear in mind that recruiters and hiring managers look at dozens of CVs on a daily basis, so you want yours to really stand out and be interesting for them to read. You can do this by writing everything down, condensing the information to a maximum of two pages and restructuring.

      Start with your most relevant experience and achievements and make sure to tailor your personal statement to the role you’re applying for. When it comes to personal statements, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Putting a little effort into getting it right can go a long way.

      When it comes to formatting your CV, go with a layout that looks professional and will keep the reader interested. This is your chance to sell yourself and making your CV easy to read and interesting will help you stand out.

      You can download our free CV template here. 

      Upskill 

      Now is a great time to upskill and it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of courses online that are either free or only require a small fee to be paid and you can enrol and get started right away. New certifications can then be added to your CV. This helps you stand out in the job market, against others who may not have additional qualifications.

      This will also show potential employers that you are proactive and take your personal development seriously. 

      You might even want to think about reskilling and getting qualified for a new role or sector entirely. Maybe it’s something you have been wanting to do for a while but never found the time to do it. 

      Keep it relevant

      Once it comes to applying for jobs, try to stick with what is relevant to you and your experience. It can be very disheartening being turned down for a role, even if it wasn’t suitable for you in the first place. 

      Take your time to really read job descriptions and decide whether you have the right skillset and experience for the role before you apply. You will be much more likely to stand out and you’ll have a higher chance at hearing back and being invited for an interview. 

      Tailor your personal statement to the role

      We already mentioned it above, your personal statement will be the first snippet of information recruiters and hiring managers read about you and it needs to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

      It should be a short summary about you, to help employers see how you view yourself as a person and as an employee. Your personal statement should be one paragraph, aiming for a maximum of 150 words. 

      You can find our guide on how to write a personal statement here.

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career? 

      Advance TRS are growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

      With the global pandemic, times have changed and so has the working world. With many of us working remotely we have become very familiar with Zoom, and not just because of the weekly family quiz nights. 

      Businesses have had to adapt certain processes to ensure their employees’ health and safety, and one of those processes is the way interviews are conducted. 

      Many companies have opted to hold job interviews via video call, which is a great way to ensure social distancing rules are adhered to, however, can bring different challenges for the interviewee. We’ve got some pieces of advice for you if you have a video interview coming up.

      Dress for the job you want

      Even though your potential new employer might only be able to see your top half, make sure to dress smart head to toe, rather than wearing a blazer and tracksuit bottoms. This will help put you in the right frame of mind, too. 

      No matter what job you’re applying for, it is always worth dressing smart, rather than looking too casual. 

      Do your research

      Whether the interview is held in person or via video call, you should always be well prepared. Make sure to look up the business, find out as much about it as you can and also look up your interviewers. That way you can find out how long they have been with the company for and ask them about what they like about working there.

      If you don’t know who is interviewing you, you can ask your recruiter or the person you have been in touch with to confirm the names. 

      Switch off notifications

      Whatever device you use for the video interview, make sure to switch off any notifications during the call. Having a constant beep of notifications coming up can be distracting for you and the interviewers.

      Make use of your screen

      You can write some notes about the company and the job on Post-Its and place them around your screen. It can also be useful to have some bullet points on answers to difficult questions you might be asked. We previously published a blog about commonly asked interview questions and how to answer them. You can read the article here. 

      Disrupted signal

      We’ve all experienced this – occasionally signal might drop and your screen freezes for a short period. If that happens during your interview stay calm, apologise and carry on with the interview.

      Find a quiet space

      While it is best to find a space without any disruptions for the duration of the interview, that might not always be possible. In case you have children or pets at home who can occasionally be heard in the background, apologise, briefly explain the situation to the interviewers and carry on.

      Ask questions

      Prepare some questions to ask at the end of the interview to show you are genuinely interested in the business and the role. Again, you can write these on notes and stick them to your screen.

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career? 

      Advance TRS are growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Jess Wells, our Talent Acquisition Manager.

      WHAT IS IR35?

      IR35 was introduced in 2000 to address concerns relating to individuals who supply their services via an intermediary (such as a Limited Company) instead of as an employee. Therefore, they avoid paying employee income tax and national insurance contributions.

      Where an assignment is deemed ‘inside’ IR35, PAYE deductions must be made from the contractor’s pay. Any assignment ‘outside’ IR35 is classed as a genuine B2B service and is not subject to the same tax treatment as employees. Advance TRS are here to support you through these reforms.

      We have partnered with IR35 experts Kingsbridge and Liquid Friday to guide our client and contractor communities through the changes in legislation. Browse our latest IR35 news, read our FAQs or get in contact with any questions you might have.

      WHAT HAS CHANGED AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT ME?

      From 6th April 2021, following changes in the public sector in 2017, the government extended the reform to the legislation to capture large parts of the private sector. The key change is that the responsibility of defining the IR35 status of the assignment switched from the individual’s Ltd company to the client, as the recipient of the services.

      The legislation states that all companies must take ‘reasonable care’ when assessing if roles are inside or outside of IR35. Taking a ‘blanket approach’ to assess all roles won’t deliver this. We have spoken about the reasons in a recent blog article.

      The potential financial penalties can be significant if incorrect steps are implemented, but there is support available to help.

      WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THE CORRECT DETERMINATION?

      We are working with clients and contractors to ensure everyone has taken the necessary steps. We’re also ensuring they have been given the correct IR35 determination for them.

      1. SPEAK TO YOUR CONSULTANT – If you are concerned about whether you have taken the necessary steps and want some guidance, the best place to start is by calling your consultant. They will be able to discuss how the reforms impact you and your method of engagement. 
      1. GET A SELF-ASSESSMENT – Next, you can use the Advance TRS free self-assessment tool to confirm your determination and which method of engagement is suitable for you going forward.
      1. CONFIRM YOUR METHOD OF ENGAGEMENT GOING FORWARD – Once you have completed your self-assessment you will need to confirm any changes with your client and agency to issue any new contracts/rate changes and agree your transition date.
      1. PURCHASE IR35 INSURANCE  – To ensure you and the supply chain are protected, we recommend purchasing IR35 Protection Insurance from our partners Kingsbridge who offer a Zurich underwritten policy

      THE ADVANCE TRS APPROACH – Be prepared and proactive

      Due to the scale of the impact of this legislation, we were prepared well before the Reform came into effect. This ensures our compliance and working practices facilitate confident determinations.

      Listen and Learn – Our ability to gather intelligence from multiple sources allows us to learn at a faster pace and deliver the most informed approach to all parties.

      Openly Communicate – Face-to-face meetings and regular bulletins provide clients and contractors with the most up-to-date information on how best to set out our working practices.

      Free Self-Assessments – We worked with Kingsbridge to offer free self-assessments for contracts.

      An Insured Solution – We understand the importance of peace of mind, so have worked with Kingsbridge to offer a Zurich underwritten insurance product to protect the whole supply chain.

      WHY ADVANCE TRS?

      • Offering free self-assessments and IR35 insurance to protect the whole supply chain
      • APSCO accredited engineering recruitment consultancy with sector specialist consultants
      • ISO18001, ISO9001, ISO27001 certificated and 5* RISQS since the inception of the scheme
      • Huge financial investment in contractual documentation reviews from recruitment expert solicitors
      • Robust contracts and terms of business that are compliant with current government legislation
      • Open book policy on working practices with contractors and clients
      • Excellent legal support from expert recruitment and financial specialists
      • IR35 guidance from FCSA accredited supply chain partners
      • Partnered with Kingsbridge Insurance, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of PSC insurance packages
      • Over 100 years collective experience of engineering recruitment
      • Dedicated business services team focused on contractual compliance and payroll excellence
      • A compliance-focused supply chain partner experienced in supporting all levels of project delivery

      A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON IR35

      HMRC IR35 legislation has been in place since 2000, but non-compliance is widespread.

      HMRC estimate that only 10% of those who should be applying the rules do so, which will cost the Exchequer £1.3 billion in 2023/24. This deprives vital public services of important funds and is unfair to taxpayers who are complying with the rules.

      Whilst the compliance of PSC workers has been a relatively mute subject for the last 20 years, HMRC have now realised there is a significant need for focus and attention on the management of this area of taxation, more specifically in relation to employers’ national insurance contributions.

      With such significant growth in the number of £multi-billion engineering projects across the UK, there will always be a requirement for the engagement of a highly skilled and flexible workforce that is prepared and willing to move from project to project.

      It is essential that this workforce becomes more educated on and compliant with the options that are available to them if they wish to remain off-payroll for the duration of their assignments. Advance TRS Ltd. are committed to providing the highest level of service and engagement throughout the recruitment process to ensure that workers and clients can deliver their services and their projects successfully in the knowledge that their status determination truly reflects their employment status.

      It is important to learn from the public sector reform and ensure that we keep contractors fully briefed on their options whilst enabling clients to make confident and informed decisions.

      It is essential to approach the private sector reform through the utilisation of all information and facilities available to each member of the supply chain. This offers the flexibility to evolve with HMRC decisions whilst retaining a common goal of providing resources to deliver projects.

      It is clear that the public sector ‘blanket approach’ determinations should be replaced with the recommendation that contractor IR35 status assessments are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This approach offers an assurance to valuable workers that their interests are treated fairly, in line with the legislation and not just for the benefit or safety of the end-user.

      One of the key aspects of managing the implementation and impact of the IR35 private sector reform is to ensure that each party in the supply chain recognises their responsibility, communication is clear and processes of due diligence and compliance are auditable. Contractors must take responsibility for the management of their accounts and affairs whilst engagers must extend fair treatment or ‘reasonable care’ to their contractors by preparing diligently and not leaving off-payroll working processes and considerations to the 11th hour.

      ADVANCE TRS

      We have the operational capability to adequately deal with the extra administrative burdens and will work closely with all parties to manage a case-by-case approach.

      Many people are finding themselves working from home for the first time, or with more family in the house than usual for a working week.

      Maintaining focus when working from home can be challenging at the best of times and with all your family at home, it can test your focus to the limits! Here are some top tips for keeping productive whilst balancing family life during isolation. 

      Working from home: with your partner

      Set boundaries: Don’t pretend it doesn’t bother you when your partner broadcasts Skype meetings (or watches TV) while you try to answer emails. Also, don’t passive-aggressively work in the bathroom to hint that you’re not happy with the noise in the living room. Turns out a simple “Could you put on headphones?” is an effective way to get someone to, you know, put on headphones.

      Designate private areas: Set up clear and separate areas for you each to work in your own way. Work out what works best for you. One of you needs the radio on whilst the other needs peace and quiet? Separation is probably best. If you like similar work environments carve up the dining table so you can work together. Need to take part in web meetings? Set up a meeting space where you can have uninterrupted quiet.

      Come up with a schedule together: Sync up your work breaks to enjoy some quality time together in between the work. Share meals, take turns cooking and cleaning up, take a coffee break or agree a time to switch-off and plan a joint activity for the evening. Knowing when your next break is can help keep you focused on completing the task at hand motivated to get the job done before your break. 

      Working from home: with toddlers

      Get up early: The best way to work when your toddler is around is by getting as much done as possible when they aren’t. This means setting an alarm an hour or two before they are up for the day.

      If you do your best thinking in the morning, tackle your largest projects sans distractions during this time. But if you’re not a morning person, getting up early can still be useful. Have a cup of coffee and use this time to organise yourself, respond to quick email requests, and plan out the rest of your workday.

      Take Advantage of Nap Time: Enforcing a nap time each day is not only important for your little one’s health and development, but it’s also critical for you. If you can, encourage a long nap of two to three hours in the afternoon.

      Encourage Independent Play: Independent play is important for toddler development and should be encouraged. For working parents, independent play can give mum or dad some much needed time to get work done. Busy bags are a great way to entice your toddlers to play by themselves. They’re exactly what they sound like: bags of simple activities designed to keep toddlers busy.

      Give Your Toddler Undivided Attention: In these unprecedented times, take advantage of the benefits they offer. Leaving work behind physically is not possible, and it can be tough to let it go mentally as well. But if your toddler is trying to get your attention, chances are, they’re not going to stop until they succeed. Put your to-do list aside, log off the computer, and give your toddler the attention they need and deserve.

      Set boundaries and make sure there are plenty of work-free times throughout the day. After all, the biggest perk of working from home is spending time with your toddler – so make sure you take advantage of it.

      Working from home: with kids

      Start off on the right foot: No matter how many tasks are on your to-do list, its important to create a schedule that includes time for your kids – ideally prior to hunkering down. Give them some undistracted time (no phone in your hand!) before you need to work.

      By doing this, you’re giving them the attention they need to feel seen and secure, which should help prepare them to play more independently when you need to focus on work. Eat breakfast together, offer them your undivided attention and then set some clear expectations about the day ahead.

      Adjust your schedule: If your job doesn’t require you to be on the clock at specific times, consider adjusting your schedule to work when your children are sleeping or less active. Doing your hardest work first is a good strategy for anyone, it allows you the freedom to be more present and feel like you can step away for an hour or so when the kids wake up and make breakfast.

      Set up your workspace and set some boundaries: Even if you don’t have a home office, it’s important to establish a defined work area at home – and to let your kids know that when you’re in work mode, you’re not to be disturbed. Ideally, look for a quiet corner of the house where you can set up everything you need to work through your tasks as efficiently as possible. 

      Prevent boredom for your kids by mixing things up: Kids of all ages appreciate having something new and different to occupy them, try a toy rotation to keep them immersed in play. Take a few minutes to sort through their toys, organising them into separate bins, then keeping only a select few out for them to play with.

      The idea is that having fewer toys encourages deeper play. Guide your kids toward activities that don’t require your assistance or constant supervision.

      Reserve some activities for special occasions: Got an important Skype meeting or rushing toward a deadline? Have some back-pocket activities at the ready that your child loves and can occupy them for 10 to 15 minutes. 

      Embrace healthy screen time: No one will send you to parent jail for allowing your kids to hop on a tablet for a while – especially if you’re directing them to fun and educational resources. There are plenty of sites and apps that encourage physical wellness with an array of free activities, such as free games that teach maths, spelling and music skills.

      For school-aged kids whose classroom routines have been disrupted, stay on track with learning resources. Many museums offer free virtual tours and zoos have camera feeds to watch the animals. 

      Working from home: with pets 

      Create A Separate, Pet-Free Work Space: The best way to ensure your pet isn’t going to put a kink in the flow of your workday is to keep them in a separate area. Yes, it’s nice to be able to cuddle your pet while you are listening in on a conference call, but doing this tells them they can get your attention whenever they want. Setting up a separate workspace is great, not just for you and your pet, but also for your work-life balance in general. It helps makes you feel like you aren’t actually living in your office.

      Keep pets occupied: If animals are bored or anxious, it can lead to destructive behaviours like chewing, marking or scratching around the house. To avoid an interruption to your workflow – like stopping to scold your pup for chewed up shoes – make sure they have plenty of physical and mental stimulation for when you’re hard at work.

      Give your pet some attention time: Be it taking your dog out for a nice walk, having cat cuddles on the sofa or teaching your pet parrot some funny new phrases, make sure to make time for your pet. Give them your full attention in some of your breaks to make sure they are feeling the love and they may be better able to keep themselves distracted whilst you’re on your work conference.

      Far more people are working from home during the COVID-19 isolation period. Here are some top tips to help you settle into the new normal and keep productive!

      1 Stick to your morning routine 

      Get up and have a shower, eat your breakfast, make your coffee and get dressed. Try to stick to your usual routine where possible to keep yourself in a work mindset. Use your time saved from a shortened commute to get ahead with distracting tasks. Do something for yourself, get the kids set up for the day or push your routine back to catch a few extra Zzz’s, but keep to your usual routine where possible. 

      2 Set up a work station 

      If you do not have space for a home office, find a quiet corner somewhere to make your new office. Somewhere separate from the rest of the house where your isolation companions know not to distract you and you can focus on work. With the increase in web conferencing, you may want to have a think about your backdrop too! 

      3 Keep your usual work hours 

      Set a schedule, and stick to it…most of the time. Having clear guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day helps maintain a healthy work-life balance. There are lots of apps out there to help you stick to timings and keep your focus so go and explore! 

      4 Socialise with colleagues 

      Loneliness, disconnect and isolation are common problems with work-from-home life, especially for extroverts. Take advantage of methods your company is offering you to stay in touch with colleagues. For example, they might have chat channels where remote employees can talk about common interests and virtual meetups for people in the same team.

      It’s important to figure out how much interaction you need to feel connected and included. Even if you’re highly introverted and don’t like socialising, give a few interactive experiences a try so that you’re familiar with them if you ever decide you want them. Remember, things can get misinterpreted if all communication is via email so pick up the phone or video chat when possible. 

      5 Make the most of your breaks

      Don’t short-change yourself during breaks, especially your lunch hour. If this is challenging for you there are apps available to lock yourself out of your computer for 60 minutes. Or you can just launch a simple clock or timer on the screen when you take a break. If you return to your desk after only 40 minutes, walk away for another 20. Use this time to socialise with your household, do something creative, get some exercise, take a walk or catch up with some friends/colleagues via video chat.

      Taking breaks improves your productivity, mental well-being and overall work performance. 

      If you are finding yourself at home and with more time on your hands during the COVID-19 lockdown here are 5 home activities that can be done each day to keep you busy and productive with your time. 

      Do something creative 

      Creativity is a prerequisite for innovation, leads to feelings of accomplishment and pride and can improve your ability to focus. Let your imagination go wild and get your creative juices flowing. Whether it’s journaling your isolation experience, getting creative with your kids’ craft time, doodling, colouring in a mindfulness book, baking, cooking or reaching for the sewing kit. Give yourself permission to create, open your mind and express yourself. 

      Get some exercise

      Do something to keep you moving each day, be it walking the dog, doing an online workout with your friends or favourite fitness guru. Whatever you choose, keep it fun so it’s something to look forward to. Try not to expect too much of yourself, keep it simple and doable. It could be as simple as dancing around the kitchen whilst making dinner or playing with your kids. Remember, 5 minutes each day is better than just one killer workout a week! 

      Expand your knowledge 

      With more time on your hands, it’s a great opportunity to expand your knowledge and learn more about the world around us. Be it deepening your understanding of your industry, learning about different perspectives and cultures or simply studying something that has always intrigued you, expanding your knowledge is a great way to stimulate your mind, improve your memory, expand your vocabulary and find tranquility. There are so many ways to get involved, from reading a book to listening to a podcast, watching a documentary or just doing a crossword. 

      Learn a new skill 

      What better time to learn that new skill you have always said you would do if you had more time on your hands? With so many youtube videos and apps out there to help you on your journey, seize the opportunity to try something new. Maybe you want to learn a new language, finally learn to play that guitar under the spare bed or pick up some knitting needles and give it a go – learning a new skill is a great way to explore what could be your new favourite hobby! These activities can be done from the comfort of your own home.

      Tidy house, tidy mind 

      With more time at home, there is both more time to make a mess and more time to tidy it up again! In order to not get overwhelmed, why not break it down into daily tasks. From usual chores like laundry and hoovering to deeper decluttering such as tidying cupboards or sorting through your wardrobe, split up the tasks and do a little each day for an easy win and sense of satisfaction.

      The current coronavirus pandemic means that many of us are living in uncertain times and will be working from home for the foreseeable future. 

      During this time it is very important to keep your focus and structure. Something that might help you with this is upskilling yourself. It’s a great way to gain skills that will be relevant to the new working world. 

      Virtual meetings

      Currently, most, if not all meetings, are held virtually using different video conferencing systems. And as this is a great way of saving time and travel costs it might not just be a temporary solution during the pandemic. 

      Upskill yourself by getting to grips with different systems that are available, like Zoom, and become a pro at using them.

      Make the most of working from home

      In another recent blog, we spoke about taking time during quarantine to take a closer look at your CV and obtain some references.

      This is something you might not normally find the time for, however, having a good-quality CV is a great way to make an excellent first impression on potential new employers. 

      Knowledge gaps

      Are there any parts of your job where you feel that you have knowledge gaps? Maybe there are programmes or systems you use on a daily basis and have been meaning to learn more about those but you never had the time to.

      There couldn’t be a better time than now to upskill. The internet offers numerous tutorials you can watch and you probably have more time than ever before to try out your newly learned skills. 

      Doing this will give you more of a competitive edge and provides you with a great selling point during interviews once we get past the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll be able to prove your fortitude and show that you are always looking to develop further.

      Your CV is the first thing your potential new employer will see of you and therefore it needs to make a really good impression. Time to update your CV! We previously shared CV writing tips and you can also download our free CV template. 

      In this post, we want to take a closer look at the finer details, rather than the layout and what to include.

      Filling in the gaps

      You could take this quite literally and check whether there might be any gaps in your employment dates that have been going unaccounted for. Update your CV by filling these in and giving reasons for why they are there. 

      Other gaps to look out for might be knowledge gaps – anything you could do with having more of a competitive edge on. Maybe there are aspects of your skillset you have been a little hazy on for a while. Now is the time to upskill!

      Your LinkedIn profile can act as your CV

      Update your CV on LinkedIn. Most recruiters nowadays use LinkedIn when posting jobs and looking for candidates. Therefore, it’s good practice to pay as much attention to your profile on the platform as you do to your actual CV.

      Make sure that the information you include on your profile matches up.

      References

      It might be a good time now to contact people and ask them for character references, ready for when you need them next. 

      And taking another look at LinkedIn – there is the option to ask anyone you have worked with; whether it might be colleagues, managers, clients, the list goes on; for recommendations which are then shown at the bottom of your profile. This is another great way of giving recruiters looking at your page an idea of the kind of person you are. 

      Less is more

      Lastly, try to keep your CV to 2 pages where possible. You could achieve this by giving a little less detail on jobs that are further in the past or might not be relevant to the role you’re applying for.

      As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That is why the government has given clear guidance on self-isolation, household isolation and social distancing and maintaining educational provision.

      And the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

      That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible. They have asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

      Guidance for schools

      It is important to underline that schools, all childcare settings (including early years settings, childminders and providers of childcare for school-age children), colleges and other educational establishments, remain safe places for children. But the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

      Schools, and all childcare providers, are therefore being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children. This includes those who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response.

      Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs. This includes those on child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children. Plus, those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

      We know that schools will also want to support other children facing social difficulties. Therefore, we will support headteachers to do so.

      Guidance for parents

      Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care. Plus, other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

      Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

      1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
      2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
      3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
      4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
      5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

      If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:

      (For the full list of affected sectors visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision) 

      Public safety and national security

      This includes:

      • Police and support staff
      • Ministry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel
      • Those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs (essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic)
      • Fire and rescue service employees (including support staff)
      • National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff
      • Other national security roles, including those overseas.

      Transport

      This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

      Utilities, communication and financial services

      • Staff needed for essential financial services provision
      • Workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)
      • The oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage)
      • Information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response
      • Key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications
      • Network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services
      • Postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

      If workers think they fall within the critical categories above, they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.

      If your school is closed, then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.

      We are grateful for the work of teachers and workers in educational settings for continuing to provide for the children of the other critical workers of our country. It is an essential part of our national effort to combat this disease.

      Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

      They are to:

      • Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
      • Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible
      • Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
      • Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres, and similar venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather
      • Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
      • Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

      Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.

      We strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you:

      • Are over 70
      • Have an underlying health condition
      • Are pregnant

      This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

      This guidance is lifted from the gov.uk website and is for everyone, including children. It advises on social distancing measures we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is intended for use in situations where people are living in their own homes, with or without additional support from friends, family and carers. If you live in a residential care setting guidance is available.

      Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

      At tough times like these, it’s important to look after your mental wellbeing, especially during social distancing and isolation. Understandably, you may find that social distancing can be boring or frustrating. You may find your mood and feelings are affected and you may feel low, worried or have problems sleeping and you might miss being outside with other people.

      It can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour which in turn can make you feel worse. There are simple things you can do that may help to look after your mental wellbeing during social distancing. In addition, staying mentally and physically active during this time such as:

      • Look for exercises you can do at home on the NHS website
      • Spend time doing things you enjoy – this might include reading, cooking, other indoor hobbies or listening to the radio or watching TV programmes
      • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs
      • Keep your windows open to let in fresh air, get some natural sunlight if you can, or get outside into the garden
      • You can also go for a walk or exercise outdoors if you stay more than 2 metres from others

      Understandably a key factor to support positive mental health is spending time with friends and family. 

      What steps can you take to stay connected with family and friends during this time?

      Draw on the support you might have through your friends, family and other networks during this time. Try to stay in touch with those around you over the phone, by post, or online. Let people know how you would like to stay in touch and build that into your routine. This is also important in looking after your mental wellbeing and you may find it helpful to talk to them about how you are feeling.

      Remember it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust and in doing so you may end up providing support to them too. Or you can use an NHS recommended helpline.

      Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

      While all interviews and interviewers are different, there are some common questions that are asked frequently. This is to find out more about the candidate and how they deal with certain situations. We’ve compiled a list of some of those questions and some guidance on how to answer them.

      You can read more of our interview tips in our Advance Advice section.

      Tell me about yourself

      Some interviewers will start the conversation by giving a little insight into the business. They will then most likely ask you to tell them a little bit about yourself.

      Give them a quick summary of who you are and what you have been doing. In addition, some insight on any experience you’ve had which is relevant to the job. It’s a great point in the interview to mention your top achievements and why you think you’d be perfect for the role.

      The interviewer won’t want to hear your life story or your family history here. Make sure to talk about experience relevant to the position instead. 

      Why are you looking to leave your current role?

      With this common interview question, you should consider how you word your answer. Here, it is important not to talk negatively about your current employer. Focus on mentioning that you are looking for new challenges. You could even highlight aspects of the job you are interviewing for which aren’t available with your current employer.

      Tell me about a tricky situation you have dealt with and how you solved it

      When being asked this kind of question, the interviewers want to find out more about your negotiating skills or potential clashes with colleagues. The best way to approach this question is to explain the situation, how you resolved it and what the outcome was.

      Try to steer clear of describing a situation where you caused conflict. This might give the impression that you are a trouble-maker and might not be a good fit for their team.

      What are your weaknesses

      Being asked this question can be quite daunting and we have recently dedicated a blog post to it which you can read here.

      Talk about something you know isn’t your strongest point but which you are working on, for example, your presentation skills. This is something you can get training on and will be the kind of answer the interviewer is looking for.

      The salary question

      Don’t undersell yourself here and say to the interviewer that whatever they think will be great. 

      A lot of job adverts will include a salary band and if this isn’t the case, you can take a look at similar roles and get a good idea of an appropriate salary from those. 

      You can then justify what you are asking for by mentioning relevant knowledge and experience you will bring to the team.

      Do you have any questions

      Avoid asking about working hours and holidays here but instead, ask something about the business. Something you might have read about and you’d like to find out more. Maybe there is a new product or service they are launching which you can ask about. That also shows the interviewer that you have done your research on the company. 

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career? 

      Advance TRS is growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website

      Or, for a discrete conversation, contact Jess Wells our Talent Acquisition Manager.

      The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

      CapitaLand acquires prime freehold Arlington Business Park for £129m

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      A2Dominion and Higgins have formed a joint venture vehicle to deliver a major housing scheme in Ealing, West London. Read more…

      Browse our latest rail jobs here.
      Register for job alerts here.

      As you may be aware, the Advance TRS team has taken on the challenge of walking 10k steps a day throughout March again this year. We’re excited to raise money for Surrey-based mental health charity Oakleaf. Team members are asked to donate money for each day they don’t reach the 10k steps target. At Advance TRS raising money for charity, taking on personal challenges and fundraising activities to advance others has been a core founding principle.

      You can read more about the challenge in last week’s blog post.

      It is well-known that besides the physical benefits, getting up and moving also has a big impact on our mental well-being.

      Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety

      You don’t have to go on hour-long hikes. Going for a 30-minute walk each day can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. The same can be said for stress. If you’ve had a busy day at work, going for a wander afterwards might help to clear your head.

      Better sleep and improved mood

      Going for regular walks will help you sleep better and leave you with higher energy levels throughout the day. The endorphins released into your body during a walk can help to improve your mood and make you feel happier.

      Better memory

      Daily walks also have a positive effect on your memory and your mind, cutting the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by around 45%.

      Other health benefits associated with walking

      Going for regular walks can drastically lower your risk of having strokes or developing heart disease or diabetes and can even add a couple of years to your life. 

      Even getting in a few minutes of walking each day, whether it’s during your lunch break, before or after work or with a friend on a day off will greatly benefit your health and mental wellbeing. Time to get up and start moving! 

      If you’d like to help us reach our target, you can make a donation to Oakleaf here.

      At Advance TRS, we understand that reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to all. We take our obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees seriously. Our comprehensive wellness programme and mental health awareness training have recently been recognised as Advance TRS were shortlisted as finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019.

      Follow Advance TRS charity and fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

      For the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health in the workplace for further information.

      #ATRS10KCHALLENGE

      Each year our team take on a 10k steps a day challenge throughout March to raise money for charity. This year we are delighted to raise money for Surrey-based Mental Health Charity, Oakleaf.

      The annual challenge is a great opportunity for our team to kick-start getting out and about and moving ahead of the nicer summer months.

      At Advance TRS, we prioritise the mental wellbeing of our staff. To provide the first point of contact when needed, we have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders. We also offer a Wellbeing Hub, where confidential support via an EAP helpline can be accessed at any time. These are only some of the steps we have taken and we continue to improve our mental health awareness.

      As part of our commitment to reducing the stigma against mental ill-health, we are delighted to champion Oakleaf for this year’s 10k steps a day challenge.

      You can donate to our fundraising effort here. Any contribution is much appreciated!

      The charity

      Oakleaf is a Surrey-based mental health charity which also works as a social enterprise to provide vocational training for those suffering from mental health issues.

      Oakleaf Enterprise was registered as a charity in 1997 and has since then worked hard to benefit people in need. Their main focus is delivering vocational training and work experience in upholstery, horticulture and IT, enabling clients to gain new skills, as the first step on their return to the workplace.

      Some of our team members took part in a firewalk to raise money and support Oakleaf last year. Read about it here.

      About mental health

      Mental health problems can present in a wide variety of ways and out of Guildford, Waverley and Woking’s 214,900 population of 18 to 64-year-olds, it is estimated that 19,242 people suffer mixed depression and anxiety.

      Overall, one in four people suffers from anxiety and stress which can have a considerable impact on their work life. Recognising problems early and implementing initiatives to support staff and colleagues will be of real benefit to them.

      At Advance TRS, we understand that reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to all. We take our obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees seriously. Our comprehensive wellness programme and mental health awareness training have recently been recognised as Advance TRS were shortlisted as finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019.

      Follow our fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health in the workplace for further information.

      #ATRS10KCHALLENGE

      A question that is often asked during interviews and that can be difficult to answer: what are your weaknesses? This blog is dedicated to exactly this question, to give you some guidance on how to answer it professionally. 

      Firstly, remember that there is no “one size fits all” approach to answering this question. We suggest you find the way that works best for you. When you prepare for the interview, sit down and tailor the answer to yourself. 

      For more interview tips and other useful guides, take a look at our Advance Advice section.

      Where to start

      A good way to start is to describe your weakness to the interviewer(s). For example, you could start by saying “My big weakness is sometimes doubting my work.”

      You don’t want to eliminate yourself from the race by mentioning something too negative. However, you also want to show that you’re human, and nobody’s perfect. 

      Put it into context

      This will help the interviewers understand why you perceive this particular habit to be a weakness of yours. You can also demonstrate whether or how it affects your daily work. So using the above-described example of a weakness, you could say “I hold myself and my work to a high standard and want to make sure that everything is done right. Sometimes this means that I don’t come forward with an idea or that I take more time to finish a task I have been working on.”

      Your learnings 

      Lastly, explain to the interviewer how you are dealing with this weakness and what you might have learnt from it. In the above example, it might be that you’re working on worrying less and voicing your ideas more often, while still putting a focus on delivering high-quality work.

      If you go into the interview prepared, having come up with a suitable answer for you, then you have nothing to worry about. Remember that the main focus for the interviewers is to find out whether your skill set and personality are the right fit for their team. 

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career? 

      Advance TRS is growing quickly and we are always looking for ambitious, driven people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Jessica Wells, Talent Acquisition Manager.

      The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

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      Is there a commercial property boom on the horizon?

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      Browse our latest rail jobs here.
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      Many of us spend a big chunk of our workdays at a desk. So it might not come as a surprise that your workspace can make a big difference to your motivation and productivity. A tidy desk can equal a clear mind and help you work more efficiently. We’ve collated some tips to help you improve your workplace.

      Plants

      Having plants around you won’t just give your workspace a nicer look and feel, they also help to keep the air fresher and cleaner. 

      Desks and chairs – quality counts

      We spend big chunks of our days sitting at desks. This can have a significant impact on your posture and general wellbeing. A desk that allows you to adjust its height, so you can either stand or sit down while working can make a real difference to your health and productivity.

      It is also worth investing in chairs that support the back and enable an ideal sitting position. 

      Bright and breezy

      It’s also a good idea to keep the office light and bright, using lighter shades for your walls instead of dark colours. The odd splash of colour here and there will give it a great look. 

      Utilise and maximise natural daylight wherever you can as this, too, will help with productivity. 

      Offer storage options

      A cluttered desk means more distractions and can impact your productivity and concentration. Having storage options where you can put paperwork and utensils will keep your desk much tidier and in turn, help to stay focused. 

      We hope these points give you some inspiration for improvements you might have been wanting to make to your own workspace!

      Are you looking to take the next step in your career?

      If you’re a driven and ambitious individual and you’re currently looking to take the next step in your career then we’d love to hear from you. 

      Advance TRS is growing quickly, so we are always looking for new people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

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      Browse our latest rail jobs here.
      Register for job alerts here.