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As lockdown eases across the country, the engineering and manufacturing sectors are showing positive signs of the economy improving, with the PMI for manufacturing alone rising from 40.7 in May to 50.1 in June. So, as the industry begins to make its way back to recovery, businesses may be asking themselves these questions: ​How will you bounce back as a business?How as a business will you cope as the market continues to improve in the coming months? Are you nervous about increasing permanent headcount?How will you ensure that you can increase capability whilst there is still uncertainty? How will your recruitment strategy change?​How hiring an engineering contractor can help youHiring contractors is a great strategy to increase skills and grow teams especially when requirements are constantly changing. Contractors can be extremely useful in times like these as businesses try to balance their headcount and changing productivity levels. There are many benefits that contractors can provide to your organisation, and we’ve outlined them all for you here:​1.There is a large pool of skilled engineering contractors availableWe have been supporting the manufacturing industry for decades, which means we have built up an extensive database of contractors for our clients. We have contractors available across all types of roles, so whether its a hands-on manufacturing role or a senior appointment you need, we are able to deliver contractors suited to your exact requirements.​2.You can hire contractors quickly and safely through our Covid-19 safe hiring processOur new innovative hiring technology ATA Connect, allows us to remotely record interviews which are instantly available to you through the ATA Connect portal. This gives you a first look at the contractor prior to your interview with them, dramatically reducing the time to hire while operating safely during the pandemic. ​Here is what one of our clients thinks of ATA Connect: "Our team at Terex found the ATA-Connect extremely helpful towards filling one of our recent vacant roles. The video software gave us the opportunity to be involved right from the beginning and have increased visibility and control of the shortlisting process. The video screening was not only super-fast and efficient but also made the whole experience a lot more personal and interactive. I would definitely recommend it for any business and candidates who want to make the most out of the process.”​3.End to end solutionATA Recruitment has an end to end portal solution to keep all of your contractor information in one place. Whether that be live vacancies, CV submissions from various recruitment agencies, spend analysis, timesheet approvals and invoicing. You can utilise this portal as a neutral vendor or as a managed service provider, making it a flexible and versatile solution. ​4.Reduced time to hireATA Contract has an average time to hire of 4.5 days from vacancy brief to offer acceptance. This shows that you can access those niche-skills quickly, making your business flexible and ready to cope with increases and decreases in demand.​5.Contractors are a flexible resourceThe great benefit of using contractors is that you can engage with them quickly and release them quickly. Usually, contractors have a very short notice period and the process to let them go isn’t complex, you are paying for a service and if you decide you no longer need that service, you can stop using it. Contractors understand the nature of this and know they could one day be engaged on a contract and the next let go.​6.It isn’t as expensive as you thinkIt’s impossible to determine the cost of hiring an engineering contractor – this will completely depend on the experience they have, the work required, and the sector they’ll be operating in. You may panic when you see a daily contract rate, but keep in mind that there are no other costs involved, such as holiday pay or sick pay. The contractor is only paid for the time they work, which is great value for money, considering how sickness pay alone can impact your annual salary bill.​7.Payroll is coveredContractors are typically paid weekly, and we have a fantastic back office team that manages this all for you. All you have to do is, approve the timesheets and we’ll do the rest. We will make sure there are no issues with the contractors pay and any queries will be dealt with by the team directly with the contractor. ​8.Risk mitigated by ATA RecruitmentOur compliance team are excellent at mitigating risk, we have everything covered from making the sure the contractors has the right level of insurance through to IR35. Our consultants are fully trained to offer your business advice on a process to allow you to arrive at the correct SDS (Status Determination Statement) for the contractor.​If you would like to find out more about how a contractor can support your business, whether its now or something you may be considering for the future, please contact us by completing the form below or emailing info@ata-recruitment.co.uk. We would love to hear from you and discuss how we could help you.​​

​​In the current climate many businesses are facing challenges, however, some are needing to carry on as normal or even looking at growth. Face-to-face interviews are no longer taking place (or at least not without with considerable challenge), and more and more people are turning to video technology to maintain momentum with their hiring plans.Don’t let the current situation hold you back from achieving your goals. Positions still need to be filled, and you can still secure great candidates and get them up and running remotely. The companies that will be least affected by the unforeseen challenges Covid-19 has thrown at us will be the ones that manage to maintain operations as close to business as usual as possible. Don’t let social distancing stop you from securing your dream hire. ATA Connect, our new instant video interviewing software is the answer to business continuity and here’s why…FlexibilityFirst off, there’s no travel involved, and this means you’ll have access to candidates from further afield as they can interview from wherever, whenever giving you a much wider pool of talent to choose from. There’s also no time off required which is perfect for candidates who are considering their options but who might struggle to get time off from their current roles. With self-isolation and social distancing on everyone’s mind, the flexibility video offers is essential for combatting the impact of Covid-19.​TimeAdding video interviewing to your hiring process increases the interview to hire ratio by 70%. No longer are candidates judged solely by words on a CV (the usual ‘first sift’ process). Instead, they can talk through their skillset in detail using our solo interview screening functionality.We’ll conduct your first stage interviews for you. Then we’ll send these back to you in a candidate shortlist for review. So, you’ve immediately skipped a whole stage in the process. Plus you’ve avoided needless diary coordination and saved time sitting through interviews (even virtual ones) with people you know aren’t the right fit.​TalentThe fact is people are still hiring. Agile businesses are determined to keep going and are not taking this lying down. We know not every business is in a position to hire, but for those that are, they will need to adapt their processes to capture the best talent. Introducing video to your hiring process instead of putting a stop to it until it’s all blown over ensures you’re not missing out.Get In touchFind out how ATA Connect can save time and get the best talent to keep your business moving forward by completing the contact form below. ​

The whole world has currently had to change and adapt to survive in the new climate, and the engineering and recruitment sectors are no different. With most business being carried out online and social distancing measures in place, how can companies continue to hire new staff safely, quickly and in line with the constantly evolving COVID-19 guidelines? We have the solution, and we believe that you will agree that ATA Connect will help you continue to hire efficiently, safely and seamlessly now and after the pandemic has passed.One of the most common questions around specialist video interviewing software is, “yes it sounds good, but surely you can just use Zoom/ Microsoft Teams/Skype etc?”. Of course, these are all brilliant for video conferencing and since we’ve all been working from home, they have been great for keeping client, candidate, and internal meetings going ahead as planned. But that’s what they are designed for, video conferencing, not specialist video interviewing.​What’s the difference?Technically they both involve video, audio and more than one party so in that sense, not much. The needs of a hiring manager are very different to those of someone attending a video conference however, so the platform, user interface and ways of using this technology are very different.Here’s the main value ATA Connect can bring to you over just using other video conferencing software.​Live interviewsFor starters, ATA Connect allows you to host either a live interview which can be recorded to watch back or a solo one-way interview, where the candidate answers predetermined questions in their own time to submit for review. Both forms of interview differ to telephone or other online interviews in that you don’t have to just take the consultant’s word for it that they are a match for the role, you can watch for yourself.​Effective shortlistingWe send you a link and all the videos of candidates that we believe are a match. This means all the candidates are in one place, so there is no need for multiple emails. We can also attach the candidate's CV, documents and any notes in with their video.You save lots of time because if you don’t think they are a good fit for the role within the first 5 minutes of the interview you can either turn it off or skip to the questions you think are more important to make your decision. If the first stage interview was conducted on zoom, skype or teams and therefore not recorded, you wouldn’t know until the candidate sat in front of you (either live virtually or face-to-face) that they weren’t right but you would have to conduct the whole second stage interview anyway.​Support for candidates and clientsOur specialist video interviewing software has embedded training videos to metaphorically hold your hand while you’re getting set up. So, don’t be worried if you’re uncertain about the terms, “live interview”, “solo interview” or “shortlists” because there’s easy to understand instructional videos and demos to watch in your own time. And there’s a UK based support and development team who are there to help you or your candidates should any issues arise. Not only that, it is being hosted by a recruitment provider so if you don’t get the results you wanted, we’re already one step ahead in helping you find the right hire quickly and efficiently.​So yes, if you need to do some video you can use a conferencing facility. If, however you want an organised, sustainable and cohesive way of transforming your hiring for the ‘new norm’ then you should take a deeper look at ATA Connect.​Contact UsGet in touch with our team to discuss how ATA Connect works and how it can benefit your business by completing the form below.​​​

You’re likely facing a few months of uncertainty around hiring. Frustratingly, it feels like a long time to press pause on processes you've worked so hard to mature. For that reason we've taken measures to make sure you’re in a strong position, both during the pandemic and when COVID-19 passes.On average, a talent pipeline takes 2-4 months to mature. This means we run the risk of turning a 3-month problem into a 12+ month problem if we take drastic measures and press stop. But we can’t simply carry on as normal either. We must find a way to slow down your process enough to cope with the change, whilst maintaining momentum with candidates to support your hiring plans for the remainder of the year.​Our new instant video technologyIn line with our commitment to deliver excellence to our clients, we have launched our innovative instant video platform, ATA Connect.The video software is designed specifically for the screening and interview process to keep your pipeline of talent moving. Offering our clients increased reach, greater flexibility and hiring efficiencies during these challenging times.We understand that every business requires different levels of support when it comes to recruitment. So, whether you need help with part of your recruitment process or all of it, our flexible solution allows you to select the parts that are most suited to your current needs.​Record interviews and involve decision makersThis technology, which is the most streamlined available on the market, allows us to provide recorded live interviews between our recruiters and candidates. We can also now involve your hiring managers in the process too. These interviews can then be shared with any decision makers in your business, without the need for diary co-ordination. You will be able to give and view feedback instantly, allowing you to collaborate in a cohesive way over identical questions and responses.​Increased reach and easy to useWe’ve chosen a specialist provider that allows interviews to take place on laptop, tablet and mobile devices in low bandwidth situations, giving us access to even the most remote candidates. The tech requires no downloads, registrations, or dedicated logins, ensuring candidates with any level of technical ability can take part. We simply send a link, which they click once, and they’re ready to go.​Improved screening processWe have the ability to record one-way interviews of candidates. This means that you can give us written questions that display one at a time to the interviewee, allowing them to record the answers to the questions on their own and submit the video back to you.​Easy to access and reviewWe can present the videos back to you in an interactive shortlist page which gives you full visibility of everyone in the process. These pages have commenting functions for each candidate shortlisted, as well as a document viewer that can hold up to five supporting attachments, such as a CV, certificates or proof of eligibility to work in the UK. All of this means you retain complete control throughout, even during this time of unforeseen disruption.​Get in touchIf you would like to find out how we can keep your pipeline of talent moving or want to simply discuss your current recruitment challenges, please get in touch using the contact form below.​​​

​As businesses begin to plan how to re-open workplaces and mobilise their staff, managing health and safety in line with Government guidance is a critical part of the planning process. So, how do businesses ensure their staff can continue to work while staying safe? To help you operate your worksite or workplace safely, ATA Recruitment can support your business with dedicated COVID-19 marshals during the coronavirus pandemic.​Supporting the industry to stay safe​As our sister company, Ganymedecontinues to support the safe delivery of rail infrastructure projects to help keep Britain moving, COVID-19 marshals have been deployed across rail sites to ensure work is carried out safely while adhering to Government guidance. We are taking this best practice and sharing it across other sectors - COVID-19 marshals can be deployed to all types of work environments across any industry. ​How a COVID-19 marshal can help you​​Our dedicated COVID-19 marshals can support and manage:​Social Distancing - Your workplace will be supervised ensuring the 2-metre social distancing guidelines are adhered to at all times.Correct PPE - Where a 2-metre distance can’t be maintained, they will ensure all staff have the correct PPE for the task to be carried out.Welfare Facilities will be supervised and work surfaces will be regularly disinfected including contact points such as door handles.Transport Checks - Vehicle occupancy will be regularly checked and marshalled in line with Government guidance.​Here to support youWhether you're a small or large business, our COVID-19 marshals will address the concerns you may have such as:How can I maintain social distancing on my workplace?How to ensure my staff are safe on my workplace?How will I manage my workplace in line with coronavirus (COVID-19) health and safety guidance?​Contact Us​For information and advice on how ATA Recruitment can help your business, get in touch with us on info@ata-recruitment.co.uk​​

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many companies will be reassessing their recruitment strategies and likewise, candidates will be thinking about career opportunities. ​​​​ATA Recruitment has developed a salary report based on data gathered from all the candidates we have placed over the last year, providing a holistic picture of the average salaries across different disciplines within the engineering and manufacturing sectors. ​During these challenging times, we understand our clients will be aligning their budgets to future resource planning requirements, and we are often asked what the average salary is for roles within the engineering and manufacturing industry. We also understand our candidates may be wondering whether it's the right time to change their job or if their salary is above or below the average. ​​Average Engineering Salary Report​Using our data from thousands of placements made in 2019, we decided to publish this report to coincide with the end of the financial year to help our clients with their resource planning. We answer some of the most common questions, including the average salaries across the following disciplines: Maintenance, Quality and Manufacturing, Design and Projects, Technical Sales and Management. So whether you’re advertising a single job or recruiting in high volumes, it’s important to know what salary to offer.​ATA Recruitment has been supporting the growth of the engineering and manufacturing sectors for over 50 years. Over this time we have developed a thorough knowledge of the marketplace through both experience and data analysis, helping our clients find the best talent suited to their business needs. ​As well as insights within this report, ATA Recruitment can also provide tailored expertise and regional knowledge to both our clients and candidates during these challenging times.​Download the salary reportThe report will open in a secure PDF format that you can either view online (web and mobile) and save for future reference. Simply fill in the brief form below to download.​​​Get in touch ​If you would like to discuss the findings of the report in more detail or if you’re looking for an engineering recruitment specialist to support your business, please get in touch with ATA Recruitment.  ​If you're looking for a job or want to hear about future opportunities,  sign up to tailored job alerts and our blog to receive more content like this straight in your inbox. ​​​

The Government has recently announced that people should work from home where possible during the current Coronavirus outbreak. Working from home has become popular over the years but for many, it will be a new way of working. What if you have never worked from home, what if you don't have a home office set up? Don’t worry, we have compiled a list of 7 top tips to make sure you are working as effectively as possible from the comfort of your own home. ​1. Try to replicate your morning routineOne of the most important things to do is to create the right mindset to work from home, and this should start as soon as you wake up. That’s right, you need to continue setting your morning alarm, getting showered and dressed, eating breakfast and anything else you would normally do before work. Use the time you would normally spend commuting to do something productive like walking the dogs, making breakfast or just catching up with the news.It may seem strange putting your work clothes on just to stay in but, it will help tell your brain that it is work time and not relaxation time.  ​2. Create a suitable workspace Now you’re up and ready for work it’s time to make sure your workspace is ready. Here are some dos and don'ts for creating a suitable office space whilst you work from home: DO Make sure you have a clean large enough surface. - Similar to your office, you need enough space for your cups of coffee, documents, mouse and anything else you normally have on your desk. Make sure you have a comfortable chair - the last thing you want to do is spend all day sat on an uncomfortable chair.Try and set up a second screen if you use one in the office - this could even be your TV if you don’t have anything smaller. Simply connect your laptop to a TV (usually with an HDMI) then you will have your second screen ready to go. DON’T Work in bed - this may seem like a great idea but it’s not, your brain has learnt to associate the bedroom with being relaxed. Trying to work whilst your brain wants to relax is never going to work well for your productivity. Work in front of the TV - again this sounds like a great idea but realistically you are not going to be as productive whilst trying to watch your favourite series - why not stick the radio on instead? Work on any free surface you can find – If you are not comfortable you will not be able to produce your best work and even worse it may lead to health issues. ​3. Try to replicate your working routine as much as possible In order to keep yourself in the right frame of mind, it is important to try and replicate your working routine. That includes your working hours, your tea and coffee breaks and your lunch schedule. Make sure you plan regular breaks and make sure you follow the governments advice about working safely with display screen equipment.  4. Plan your time and exactly what you want to achieve each day  One great way to keep productivity at a high is to plan your workflow. At the start of the day, you need to know what your priorities are, what you need to get done first and what you want to work on if you have extra time. Check out our blog about effectively managing your time here. If you are part of a team it may be worth holding daily catch ups to ensure you are all on task and achieving what you need to achieve.   5. Keep work time and personal time separate So, you have your schedule and you’re burning through tasks but it’s already the end of the day, you might be tempted to carry on working as you no longer have to commute and you’re in a good flow. Which is great, however, it is just as important to give yourself some time off when you’ve promised it. Try not to extend your workday too far over what you planned, as this might lead to burning yourself out and starting to see your home environment as a stressful place.  By doing this and keeping work time and personal time separate should make you more productive at work and less stressed when you aren’t working.   6. Use the correct software and tools  We are fortunate that we live in an innovative world where the likes of Microsoft Teams and Skype have made it easier than ever to keep in contact with work colleagues, whether that's instant messaging, video calls or conference calls. Choose the correct tool that works for you and your team to make sure you stay in touch with what’s going on.​ 7. Stay connectedMake sure you’re still picking up the phone or getting on skype and teams and having conversations where you can. There are number of benefits of having conversations out of email, firstly you get to bounce off one another and keep those creative juices flowing, secondly it’s important to stay social when you’re removed from those people at work, don’t be afraid to just have a general quick chat.​Want to read more tips and advice like this? Make sure you sign up to our blog to receive them directly in your inbox.​