For more information on opportunities in admin, secretarial or as a PA, please use the branch locator to find contact your nearest branch and speak to a recruitment specialist about careers in admin, secretarial or PA jobs.
Alternatively, use the job search function to browse current roles, or register with Meridian Business Support, by uploading your CV and let our experienced team of recruitment consultants find you your next career opportunity.
If you are an employer looking for staff then please contact us and we will be happy to help.
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Administration & Office Vacancies
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Credit Controller
Birmingham
Competitive
Responsibilities:
We are recruiting for a Credit Controller to join our team based out of Birmingham (B15), with a Hybrid working week. Hybrid Working 37 Hours a week Monday to Thursday 07:30 – 17:00 & Friday 08:30 – 16:30 No bank holiday working required Benefits: Pension scheme, Life assurance, 25 days holiday As a Credit Controller, you will effectively and efficiently monitor and maintain up to 500 customers with a total debt up to £8M consisting of National and/or Non-National accounts, minimising aged debt and maximising cash collection across a customer base using both EDI and standard trading platforms. This is a varied role, suited to someone who can develop good working relationships with internal and external customers via phone and email. Credit Controller - The Role: Ensure effective control of Customers by monitoring shortfalls and taking appropriate action. Collect payments according to agreed terms, achieve cash collection targets and resolve and minimise overdue debts. Ensure all customer requirements are fulfilled and delivered on time in line with the SLAs and KPIs Monitor large commercial queries ensuring that item(s) are progressed and resolved in timely manner. Escalate any serious concerns accordingly to the Collection Support Specialist. Review payment plans when requested. Place customers on credit hold where necessary. Regular review calls and some face-to-face meetings with customers. Review accounts for legal action. Review order release requests. Utilise Sidetrade to ensure account portfolio is managed effectively ensuring To Do Lists are actioned daily and all activity logged to include invoice qualification. Ensure emails are actioned in a timely manner and customer account information is accurate and regularly updated with digital contacts at every opportunity. Ensure overtrading is monitored and appropriate actions taken. Complete monthly cash forecast and pre-call on all high value amounts above agreed threshold. Encourage customers to receive invoices electronically. Credit Controller - The Person: Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills – able to build effective, long-term relationships Experienced Credit Controller and ideally with some understanding of Credit Risk Enjoys interaction with internal and external customer focus Some commercial awareness – understands business requirements Competent in financial software packages Competent user of Microsoft Office and Outlook Intermediate level of Excel, V-lookups, pivot tables etc Good written and numeracy skills Team player PLEASE APPLY ONLINE TODAY Our client believes that this role does not meet the criteria to be considered within the Home Office Shortage Occupation list. Therefore, they will not support an application for visa sponsorship and all applicants for this role must have an unrestricted right to work in the UK.
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Customer Service Assistant
Yeovil
£18915 per annum, Benefits: Store discounts, gym discounts, cycle to work and so much more
Responsibilities:
We are looking at recruiting several Customer Service Assistants for a fantastic and well established business based in Yeovil. They are offering full and part time roles on a permanent basis. If you love to deal with customers and pride yourself in dealing with any situation, then this role could be for you. You'll take calls from customers placing orders, resolve any customer enquiries (ideally in that call if you can) and end the call with a happy customer. You'll need a good telephone manner, excellent customer skills (even if you have only dealt with customers face to face this is absolutely fine), some basic computer skills and the willingness to learn. Training will be given too. Hours: 37.5 hours to be worked between 6am to 10pm, Monday to Friday and 7am to 6pm Weekends (only 5 days worked). Please talk to us if there are specific hours you can do as these may be ok. Part time up to 24 hours also available. Apply now to get your place on one of their up and coming start dates.
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Customer Service Advisor
Croydon
£22000 - £24000 per annum, Benefits: up to 10% bonus, flexible working from home (part of the week after settling in period), great pension contribution, free parking, team lunches / dinners, and private healthcare
Responsibilities:
Would you like the chance to work within a supportive, collaborative customer service team in a business that puts an emphasis on looking after its staff and where your ideas are valued? Are you a Customer Service Advisor who prides yourself on providing a high level of customer service, and taking ownership of queries and issues, seeing them through to a successful conclusion? A non-for-profit organisation in Croydon are looking for an experienced Customer Service Advisor to join their friendly customer service team. In this fast paced, busy role you will be responsible for providing an efficient and seamless support function to customers across the UK - answering queries, handling complaints, and taking ownership and resolving issues via phone, e-mail and letter through to a successful resolution - providing empathy. Your ability to priortise, multi-task and adapt to urgent situations will be very important, along with your impressive attention to detail and strong written and verbal communication skills. As Customer Service Advisor, your new role will involve: Being a point of contact for all customers throughout the UK providing over the phone and email advice and support Taking ownership and resolving customer escalations, queries, issues and complaints, effectively and efficiently via phone and e-mail through a creative approach Keeping both customers’ accounts and own records accurately updated on all systems ensuring the quality of information is maintained Supplying costs and charges for equipment, helping the customer to understand which service they require Liaising with site contacts to clarify information and check assess for deliveries and collections Issuing invoices, allocating correct services, chasing payments and initiating dispatch of equipment Raising cases on the CRM database daily to record account history I'm interested in speaking with a Customer Service Advisor, Customer Service Executive, Customer Service Administrator, Claims Advisor, or Call Centre Advisor who has previous experience in a highly pressurised customer service / call centre environment, and the essential ability to multi-task and take ownership of all queries and issues from customers - in a sensitive and empathetic manner. Salary £22,000 to £24,000 p.a. (depending on level of experience). Benefits include up to 10% bonus, great pension contribution, free parking, team lunches / dinners, and private healthcare. Once settled into your new role, the business do offer flexible working from home (part of the week)
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Warehouse Operative (Nights)
Bradford
£11.76 per hour, Benefits: Bonus, Paid Overtime!!
Responsibilities:
How would you like to work in a bright warehouse with set shifts, paid overtime and the potential to earn up to £2.50 extra per hour? We are recruiting for Warehouse Operatives to join this expanding team based in Bradford (BD4) with immediate starts! As Warehouse Operative you will be working for a global clothing brand in Toftshaw Lane, Bradford (BD4) in a clean, bright and modern warehouse environment where you will be standing at a workstation folding clothing garments that have been returned. Attention to detail is required for this role. Shifts: Sunday to Thursday Nights: 10pm-6am (2200-0600) Pay Rate: £11.76 per hour + performance related bonus up to £2.50 per hour + overtime over 45 hours paid at x1.5 rate! Benefits: Free Onsite Parking, Modern Working Environment, Subsidised Canteen, Ongoing Opportunities!!! APPLY NOW OR CALL US TODAY TO BOOK YOUR REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT! This role would suit: Warehouse Operative, Production Operative, Yard Operative, Distribution Assistant, Logistics Assistant, Retail Assistant, Sales Assistant, Student, Graduate, Casual Worker or similar, Care, FLT, forklift, Labourer, goods in, goods out, returns, Picker, Packer, Packing Operative, Picking, Factory, Nights, Cleaner, Kitchen Assistant, Porter
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Sales and Quality Administrator
Stafford
£11 per hour
Responsibilities:
Meridian Business Support are recruiting for a Sales and Quality Administrator for our prestigious client basted in ST18. Stafford. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Maintain and develop existing and new customers through appropriate propositions and ethical sales methods Determine and meet customer requirements Respond to and follow up sales RFQs, quoting customers and researching pricing Support the achievement of the Team Sales target Provide reports and data as requested Develop customer knowledge, organise information and update databases as appropriate Maintain and improve product awareness Undertake product research and update records accordingly Provide monthly sales and order intake forecasts Provide administrative support as necessary to Export, Customer Service and Sales Account Managers Communicate courteously with customers by telephone, e-mail, letter, and face to face as necessary and on a timely basis Seek and continuously develop knowledge and information regarding competitor activity, pricing and tactics and communicate this to relevant sales account manager Assist with customer support as required including the creation of customer sales orders Support the Quality Team to maintain quality standards Work alongside Departmental Managers to collate data to meet the company KPI’s To ensure the company objectives are met Support all Internal and External Audit processes Required Qualifications Experience in Customer Service/Sales Excellent follow up, organisational skills and attention to detail Excellent follow up and organisational skills Adaptability - able to change tasks quickly as business needs dictate Ability to prioritise responsibilities, manage time effectively and meet deadlines accordingly Original thinking and creativity; develops innovative approaches and ideas The hours of work will be Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and the hourly rate of pay is £11. These are immediate starts. Please call or apply online today!
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Project Coordinator - Monday - Friday
Tyne and Wear
£28000 - £30000 per annum
Responsibilities:
Due to expansion plans, we are currently recruiting for a Projects Co-ordinator to join one of the world’s largest industrial heat transfer companies. This is a permanent role working Mon-Thurs 7.30am-4.15pm & 7.30am-12.30pm on a Friday based in their office in Tyne and Wear, offering a salary of up to £30,000 (dependent on experience). Benefits include 25 days annual leave, sick pay and pension. As a Project Co-Ordinator you will work closely with management and team to maintain excellent service levels to clients as well as sharing best practice and client feedback to support continuous improvement activities and co-ordinate team activities and conduct contract management tasks once a contract order has been received all the way through to delivery of the product. You will complete supplier purchase orders and gain receipt of purchase orders. You be responsible for participation and completion of heat exchanger assessments and cost estimates. You will be processing collection and deliveries, liaising with the clients to provide updates and to gain feedback. Good understanding of engineering or manufacturing processes is required as you will be co-ordinating services such as welding and machining. We are keen to hear from applicants who have worked within a manufacturing or engineering environment with an and understanding of fabrication processes, methods and modern manufacturing techniques. Previous experience of heat exchangers would be an advantage but not essential. You will be organised and have the ability to prioritise your workload to fit business and clients’ needs and be computer literate with Microsoft Office packages and Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP system is beneficial but not essential as training will be given. This role will suite: Project Consultant, Project Assistant, Project Officer, Account Manager, Project Administrator, Financial Administrator,
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Document Prep Clerks
Aberdeen
£9.79 - £10.25 per hour
Responsibilities:
Do you have excellent attention to detail and looking to work Monday to Friday? If so we have fantastic opportunities for Document Prep Clerks to join this global document storage company!! Based in Aberdeen (AB21) easily accessible by public transport, friendly working environment, and full training is provided, potential work for 6 months+! Location: Aberdeen, Wellheads Terrace (AB21) This is NOT a remote working role Shifts and Pay rates: Monday to Friday 8am-4.30pm (flexible working available between the core hours of 7am-4.30pm on an 8 hour working day) - £9.79 per hour As Document Prep Clerk you will be responsible for Document preparation of confidential data in preparation for scanning. Duties will include separating sheets, taking out staples, and separating booklets to make sure they will go through scanners. Working within an office environment at the warehouse based in Wellheads Terrace, you will be working to individual and team targets ensuring the workload is completed on time. We are keen to hear from applicants with experience of working in a fast paced environment with excellent attention to detail with good dexterity. Full training will be given. The role requires candidates to undergo a basic DBS check and provide verifiable employment/ education history as part of the process due to the nature of the client. This is free of charge as Meridian Business Support cover the cost. Benefits: Monday-Friday Full Training Free Parking DBS Check Free of charge 28 Days Holidays per year Weekly Pay & Electronic payslip Pension Scheme Lifestyle Benefits (discounts on various retail & hospitality venues) CALL US TODAY TO BOOK YOUR REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT!! This role would suit: Data Operative, Office Assistant, Office Clerk, Warehouse Administrator, Scanning Clerk, Scanning Operative, Post Room Operative, Post Room Assistant, Document Storage, Receptionist, Customer Service, Graduate, Student, Temp work, Casual work, Warehouse Operative, Production Operative, Archiving Assistant, Filing Clerk, Library Assistant, Retail, care, Retail, Stores person, Barista, Mail Sorter, Parcel Sorter
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Administrator
Newcastle upon Tyne
£20000 - £22000 per annum, Benefits: your birthday off given to you, life insurance, private medical, and discounts on retail and gym.
Responsibilities:
How does a busy Administrator role that offers variety within a supportive business support team sound? An award winning international professional services company in Newcastle are seeking an Administrator to join the team and provide an important administrative support function to both the office and wider business. This is a varied, busy lynchpin role where no day is the same and you'll be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of a demanding office of fee earners, carrying out various administration and office coordination duties. As Administrator, your duties will include: Administration support to fee earners in the office and picking up administrative tasks for the wider business Setting up meetings and processing travel arrangements Meeting and greeting visitors and clients Organising maintenance for office equipment Managing office equipment including stationary orders Liaising with maintenance contractors and cleaners Processing expense claims For this Administrator opportunity, I am interested in speaking with an experienced Team Administrator, Office Coordinator, Office Assistant, or Team Assistant who possesses a high attention to detail, solid organisational skills and the flexibility needed to carry out any task asked of you to ensure the smooth running of an office. Solid IT skills across MS Word, Excel and Outlook are essential for this position. Salary £20,000 to £22,000 (depending on level of experience) and hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:30pm. Due the nature of the role this position will be based in the office 5 days per week. Attractive benefits include your birthday off given to you, life insurance, private medical, and discounts on retail and gym.
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Fleet Administrator
Birmingham
Competitive
Responsibilities:
We are looking for Administrator to join our Fleet Team within an Electrical Trade Wholesaler, Offering Hybrid working week: Office Located Birmingham (B26) Contracted to 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday – 08:30 – 17:00 No bank holiday working required Benefits: Pension scheme, Life assurance, 25 days holiday Must have knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other packages As an Administrator, you will assist in the day-to-day administration activities of fleet team, ensuring that professional and high customer services levels are maintained in the administration, coordination and compliance of vehicle and fuel management, in line with user’s guide, policies and procedures. We will be looking for you to have previous administration experience, taking ownership of a inbox, dealing with logging, paying and the allocation of possible driving fines, ordering & managing fuel cards and carrying out basic administration tasks to support across the team. Fleet Administrator - The Role: Spread sheet preparation (various tasks including the inputting and recording information and producing reports) update and review databases and systems, record information and produce data analysis where required Administering processes relating to Fleet management (e.g. fuel cards, processing fines, vehicle incidents, completing driving licence checks, ensuring MOTs are carried out, coordinate delivery of new orders etc.) Recording, reporting and filing information and key documentation Dealing with internal customers regarding fleet vehicles, through various media Interaction with colleagues through the whole business s responding to queries Speaking with suppliers and 3rd parties Fleet Administrator - The Person: English and Maths GCSE (or equivalent) is desirable Good communication skills, with the confidence to interact with customers and colleagues both face to face and via the phone, video conferencing and email The ability to follow instruction The want to take on new roles and challenges Good organisational skills, with the ability to work to deadlines and manage own workload Customer service skills with the understanding that the customer is the most important element Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation to: write letters or emails, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time to successfully meet deadlines. Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Self-motivated and efficient PLEASE APPLY ONLINE TODAY Our client believes that this role does not meet the criteria to be considered within the Home Office Shortage Occupation list. Therefore, they will not support an application for visa sponsorship and all applicants for this role must have an unrestricted right to work in the UK. Would Suit: fleet admin, administrator, office administrator. admin support,
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Trainee Recruitment Consultant
Twickenham
£21000 - £23000 per annum, Benefits: + fantastic training + fantastic benefits package + much much more
Responsibilities:
Here at Meridian Business Support, we value every colleague and make a commitment to help support and develop the careers of each one of our employees. Meridian, a company rated STRONG in 2021 & growing at 44% per annum is enjoying its most successful period to date. Last year the teams developed through 3000 hours of training & 18 promotions have been secured this year so far. We want people who are passionate about their professional development and want to join us in our continuing mission to be the best agency in the land. We have fantastic opportunity within our Built Environment division as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant in Twickenham. The Team You will be joining a team led by a Manager with over 14 years of recruitment experience – all of which has been within the Built Environment sector. It’s fair to say that he is a legitimate expert who is always keen to pass on his knowledge to his team. Meridian’s London branch has been established for over 15 years and is a force to be reckoned with in the South East – we are keen to keep driving this success and want you to help us with the ongoing growth of this successful branch. The Office Situated on the high street of leafy Twickenham, this role is ideal for those that want to avoid the real hustle and bustle of the city centre. Don’t get us wrong, there are still numerous eateries for lunch and a pub or two for those Friday after work celebratory drinks. 2 minutes’ walk from the mainline train station, on various bus routes, public transport is no problem. The office is spacious and has everything you would expect an office to have. Details Salary: up to £23K + monthly commission bonus scheme Contracted to 42 hours per week • Working Hours: 08:00–17:30 Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 23 days Holiday + 8 Bank/Public Holidays + Birthday Off Benefits include – Bonus Scheme, Annual awards & Conference weekend, Pension, multiple lifestyle discounts and great training & development opportunities including the REC recruitment apprenticeship programme. The Role As a Trainee Recruitment Consultant no one day is ever the same. Working with an experienced team you will become responsible for managing the relationships with our candidates. Not only those working for Meridian but also those that may work for us in the future and those that have worked for us in the past. As anyone will tell you the best way to forge relationships is through talking – this role has a strong emphasis on both incoming and outgoing phone calls. You will need to be happy having conversations with people daily – let’s be clear here though – this isn’t a call centre. Whilst you will receive full training from some of the industries best and most experienced recruiters, we encourage people to find their own style and we will support you in finding your own way to crack the nut. Key Duties: You will work with the team to source candidates to place into temporary Built Environment assignments in London and the surrounding areas Take ownership of job advertising and posting Completing candidate registration Verify documentation such as qualifications and right to work Manage the payroll function Ensuring that we send the right candidates to the right jobs Gain market information You Proactive, hard-working, and able to manage a fast-paced workload Personable and able to build strong relationships Attention to detail – getting things right first time Recruitment experience may be beneficial but is far from essential – the skills above are far more important in our experience As you may be able to tell by this advert, we don’t always take ourselves too seriously. We want people to enjoy working for Meridian but when it comes to our business, and the development of our people, we are completely serious. Get in touch immediately to speak to us in person about how we can work together and how we can forge your long-term career in recruitment.
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Secretary
Cambridge
£24000 - £30000 per annum, Benefits: flexible working from home (part of the week), life assurance, private medical insurance, retail vouchers, gym discounts, and yo
Responsibilities:
Would you like a Secretary role where you're part of a friendly, collaborative team in a progressive, award winning company that puts its people first? Do you have experience in digital dictation? An exciting Secretary opportunity has arisen within the busy, fast paced secretarial department at an award winning independent consultancy in Cambridge, where you will be responsible for providing full secretarial support to fee earners. As Secretary your new role will see you involved in: Audio typing / digital dictation and copy typing Producing reports, letters and various documentation Formatting and editing Excel documents Diary management Processing expenses and travel arrangements For this opportunity, I am very interested in speaking with an experienced, team focused Secretary (such as a Team Secretary, Legal Secretary, or Medical Secretary) who has a experience in audio typing / digital dictation and copy typing with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Strong IT skills - in particular MS Word and MS Excel (formatting documents) will certainly be needed for this position along with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a high volume workload environment. Salary £24,000 - £30,000 p.a. (depending on level of experience) and benefits include flexible working from home (part of the week), life assurance, private medical insurance, retail vouchers, gym discounts, and your birthday off every year.
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Facilities Assistant
Croydon
£14365 per annum, Benefits: life assurance, healthcare cash plan, retailer discounts and cashback, employee assistance programme, and discretionary bonus scheme
Responsibilities:
Are you looking for a part-time position within a friendly company? How does a brand new Facilities Assistant role within brand new offices sound? An award winning manufacturing business has just moved into brand new bespoke offices in Croydon and has created a Facilities Assistant opportunity on a part-time basis to ensure the smooth running of meetings and agile workspaces / breakout areas as well as any other events. As a Facilities Assistant, your newly created role will involve: Ensuring meeting rooms are prepared and set up - ensuring AV equipment and all necessary IT is working Ensuring lunches and any refreshments are provided to appropriate meeting rooms Making sure all kitchen and breakout areas are stocked with coffee, tea etc. Assisting with desk and room booking management systems Meeting and greeting visitors to the offices and issuing visitor access cards Maintaining the appearance of the reception area, meeting rooms and breakout areas - requesting maintenance when needed I am very interested in speaking with a Facilities Assistant, Facilities Coordinator, Administrator, Office Assistant, or Receptionist who has previous facilities experience that encompasses facilitating meeting rooms and client facing duties. Solid organisational, time management and communication skills are essential for this opportunity. There are 2 part-time positions available - each 25 hours per week and hours are Monday to Friday either 8:00am-1:00pm or 1:00pm to 6:00pm. The salary paid for 25 hours per week is £14,365 Benefits include: life assurance, healthcare cash plan, retailer discounts and cashback, employee assistance programme, and discretionary bonus scheme
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Latest News

Report on Jobs - July
Hiring activity growth slows again in July amid increased economic uncertaintyIn this month’s report from KPMG & REC, there has been a marked slowing down in hiring throughout July, following the news of more doubt around the state of the economy. With pay pressure rising, companies are feeling the pinch with the cost-of-living increases, but salaries can’t keep up with the pace, with salaries being at their lowest point of increase in 11 months. Continuing the trend from March 2021 to now, the supply of workers across the UK fell during July. Although happening much quicker than the average, the rate of reduction was the slowest seen in 15 months. The availability of permanent and temporary workers eased compared to June. However, there are still extensive reports of skills shortages, fewer foreign workers, and hesitancy to change roles due to the uncertainty of the economy leading to concerns over job security.The demand for staff is finally slowing down, with more roles being filled for the first time since March 2021, along with the Total Vacancies Index falling from 67.8 in June to 65.0 in July. When considered by job type, the latest data showed that the need for permanent staff increased at a slightly quicker pace than that of temporary workers. However, both permanent and temporary vacancies increased at the slowest rate for 16 months. The Total Staff Availability Index remained below the 50.0 mark, showing a fall in overall candidate supply for 17 consecutive months. The drop in available candidates remained quick and was driven by the fall in permanent and temporary candidates.With the economy currently being so uncertain, filling permanent vacancies is still an issue to some degree. However, starting salaries are currently on a slow, but continuous increase. Many firms are commenting that the higher starting salaries are due to the lower number of available candidates. On the other hand, temp wages are currently at a 13-month low, with the cost of living and candidate shortages being so significant.For more information on how Meridian can support your team grow, get in touch today
09
Aug
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Meridian Sponsors Darley Park Weekender
Meridian Business Support are proud to be sponsoring the Darley Park Weekender!Back and bigger than ever before, the Darley Park Weekender brings three days of fun with a mix of music and family events. Taking place over the August Bank Holiday, events include the brand new 80s Mix Tape, featuring Carol Decker, Nik Kershaw and legendary Pat Sharp, along with chilled Balearic beats with Classic Ibiza and Derby's annual summer highlight (with fireworks!) at The Darley Park Concert.Meridian's Derby team have joined forces with our HelloFresh Derby team to give back to their community to support this event. Meridian's Derby Branch Manager, Selina Day, commented:"Meridian has been supporting the community for many years by helping people find jobs in Derby. Me and my team are really excited to be sponsoring such a wonderful family event and hope to see some friendly faces, as well as make some new friends, during the weekend."If you are attending these events, please make sure you say hello to our team at their stand!For more information about our Derby branch, like and follow their dedicated Facebook page Meridian Jobs in Derby.You can find more information about our HelloFresh Derby jobs here.
05
Aug

How to Combat New Job Nerves
Starting a new job is very exciting and an achievement to be proud of. However, the anticipation of a new job or working environment can sometimes be a nerve-wracking experience, but something that is completely normal to feel. Rest assured, you’re not alone in feeling that way. We have broken down some ways to combat those first-day nerves and tackle your new role head-on. Here are some tips on how to combat those new job nerves:1. Research the company as much as you can prior to starting. Utilise platforms such as YouTube and TikTok if the company has channels and try to get a feel for the business and its culture.2. Speak to your new manager prior to starting and ask any questions you may have regarding your first day.3. Take some time to prepare beforehand. In the time leading up to starting your new role, try and find some time to brush up on necessary skills or do some reading around the role so you are fully prepared for the role. Have your clothes laid out and your bag packed so there is no need to be rushing around before your first day. 4. Ask lots of questions! The best way to learn is from the people who know the company the best, and they will always be on hand to answer any questions to help you progress in your career. With a clearer understanding of your role and the company, you will feel more confident in the long run.5. Take notes throughout the day. On your first day, there will be a lot of important information to take in – some of which you may forget amid nerves.6. Don’t expect to know everything straight away. Everyone has to start somewhere, and you will learn as you go throughout your new role.7. Practice your routine ahead of time. Got a new commute? Test it out before your first day and get to grips with the journey, whether this is looking up alternative routes or researching the traffic levels at rush hour.Once you settle into your new routine and your new role, it will become second nature. Never hesitate to reach out to those around you with any queries you may have about the company in general or the role itself.If we can help you to find your next role, check out our website for all our current vacancies and get in touch now!
04
Aug

Meridian celebrates Head Office launch with Lord Mayor
On Thursday 28th July, we were excited to welcome the Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester, Donna Ludford, to launch our brand new Head Office in Dakota House, Manchester. The Team moved into the new Head Office earlier this year following a collective design project with Maria Hatton, designer at Eatock Design & Build . The team at Eatock helped us to bring our vision to life by creating a bright, collaborative workspace for our team to work in, something we felt passionately about given the disruption caused by the pandemic over the last two years Our Head Office is the centre of our many Meridian operations across the UK and having the Lord Mayor attend the launch was a huge honour for our team, with many of them attending in person, including several of our key clients and fellow occupants of Dakota House, plus the extended members of our team who attended virtually to celebrate from across the country. Following a tour around the different departments within the office, the Lord Mayor discussed her past experiences as a temporary worker with our team and took time to learn more about the work we did. The Lord Mayor commented:“You have got such a dynamic working environment here and it reflects Meridian as a company. As we all know, it is the little things that make a company great to work for – such as being able to bring your dog to work! Those little things matter to people and I can see how invested Meridian is in supporting its team.”About the office launch, Meridian CEO, Derek Skelton said:“We always strive to put our people first and ensuring they have collaborative and welcoming working environments is a key element in them feeling happy and comfortable coming into work. Meridian’s first office was in Altrincham, and whilst we now have over 33 locations across the UK, Manchester will forever be our home. On behalf of Team Meridian, I was delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor to the Grand Opening of our Head Office and look forward to our continuing contribution to our community.”
04
Aug

The Best Way to Find a Job
Starting off a job hunt can sometimes be the most difficult part of the search, as the question arises – where do I even begin? With so many job vacancies out there, the process can become overwhelming with too many options to choose from. Check our best ways to find a job:Start with your CVOne of the best ways to find a job is to start by ensuring you have an accurately written CV. There are many tools online to advise you on how to write the most eye-catching CV, and you can always check out the Meridian Career Toolkit for support.Let us do the hard workOnce you have an up-to-date CV, your job search can ultimately begin. If you are unsure of which role or sector you are looking for, using websites like ours at Meridian and utilising recruitment agencies can help you to narrow down your search to a role that will fit your location and the type of role that will best suit your qualifications. At Meridian, we have sector-specific recruiters who offer a bespoke recruitment service and will help to find a role in the sector most suited to you.Don’t give upPersevere throughout your job search. When using the likes of Meridian and recruitment agencies, utilise the help they offer. Having a recruiter matching you to a particular role takes away from the endless hours of scrolling through job websites. However, there are other avenues to explore when searching for jobs. Many companies extend their own job search to events such as careers fairs to meet the wider public and make their services more known to people who may not have heard of them. In recent months, the importance of developing a personal brand has become significant across social media platforms. In doing this, you can build online connections and join online networking forums to find jobs in many different sectors.Be open-minded when looking for a new role, especially if you are unsure of the exact role you are looking for. Use it as a great opportunity to consider the multiple options that are presented. For example, if your skills don’t tick every single box on the job advert, don’t entirely dismiss it, as another skill may be something that is more desirable, based on the needs of the business.Make use of people and online platforms that can help you with your job search. If you are looking for your next role, check out our website now and see how we can help you.
04
Aug

Top Tips on How to Write an Effective Job Description
Writing an accurate job description is the first step in hiring the best candidate for your role, as this is the initial reflection of the company that your potential candidate will see. Recruiting can be very competitive, so having a standout job description can help you to win the best candidate for your role. Writing an accurate and concise job description will help you to gain the best applicants and therefore find the best person for the role.However, although having the key information within the job description is important, writing a novel on the job expectations will not provide the right applicants – that’s if they get to the end! Keep job descriptions to the point and choose the points that will be most relevant to someone on their job search. Utilise keywords, for example, the location of the role, the level it will be, whether that be junior, executive, manager or such like – be clear!Here are some of the best tips to ensure a clear and concise job description for your job ads:1. Have a clear title that directly describes the role, don’t make it ambiguous, and make it easily searchable.2. Describe the company culture and working environment.3. Make sure the job description is as unbiased as possible so as to attract a diverse group of candidates. Websites such as www.gender-decoder.katmatfield.com can help you with this. Include all requirements so people are completely aware of what is needed to be considered for the role.4. Detail the most important skills needed for the role and which ones are just good to have – break down into the ‘must haves’ and the ‘nice to haves’5. Include information about the position, including the working pattern, whether flexible working is available and how long the role is (contract, short-term or potential for a permanent role).6. Promote the perks and positivity around the position, such as training that is available for development within the role, working remotely, and events the company may host for example.7. Create realistic expectations for the role and working environment.8. Review prior job adverts and see which ones generated the most interest and which didn’t perform as well, and tailor new ads to fit the successful template.9. Detail a day in the life of the role so applicants are aware of what they will have to do if successful.Make sure to put your company's touch on the job description, such as your EVP, as this will help people to learn about the kind of company they will be applying for and will be able to decipher whether they are the correct fit for your company. Finding new members of the team is always great, make their experience a positive one!If you are looking for your next role, take a look through our website and see all the current job listings we have available. Listings are updated daily meridianbs.co.uk/jobs
01
Aug

Diversity in Hiring
As a business, it is important that your people reflect those within our society in order to better engage and support customers. Diversity and Inclusion is a hot topic with businesses right now. Equality and non-discrimination in the workplace are important ethical issues for companies whilst also being required by UK law. Companies have a duty to recruit and treat employees fairly and without discrimination.Whilst this is sometimes easier said than done, ensuring you have a diverse and inclusive hiring process can ensure that you are hiring the right people for the right roles, eliminating biases and creating a fairer process. The team in the company should reflect the society in which we live. Ensuring that companies have a diversity and inclusion plan within the hiring process is vital. This means to guarantee that hiring is based solely on merit and not on biases around a candidate’s age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics that are unrelated to potential work performance.Diversity can fall into two categories:Inherent– defining the traits and characteristics we are born with – gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, religion, and culture.Acquired– considering the changing aspects around us, including education, developed knowledge, skills & values, and political values.There are many ways to put a diversity plan in place for hiring and candidate sourcing:Rewording job posts.According to ideal.com, studies have shown that the language that is used in job adverts can deter people from applying for roles. Detailing what the applicant will have to accomplish within the role will give the candidate a realistic view of the job roles and will therefore attract more to apply. The use of masculine style can be seen as a deterrent for women to apply for such roles, the words ‘dominate, challenge, and ambitious’ are seen to be words associated more closely with males dominated roles and could be seen as the ‘masculine-type’ language that can deter women from applying for certain roles.Conduct an audit of the current hiring processConsider the current hiring process and identify any issues that may arise in terms of diversity. When an audit is conducted, two questions should be answered – what are the strengths in our diversity hiring? What diversity challenges are in our hiring process? All job adverts should go through a diversity and inclusion check before being posted to fit in with the company’s diversity policy. Look through past recruitment adverts and makes changes to them to attract a broader range of candidates. If language is directed towards one demographic, others may be put off from applying. However, if there is a specific demographic in mind for a role, explain why that group are a better fit for the role.Rethink the ways in which CVs are reviewed.The focus of reviewing a CV should be turned to the performance objectives involved in the role. When reviewing CVs, blind screening them initially should always be considered – this involves reading the CV with no identifying details of the applicant. Blind interviewing has also become a tactic in recruiting, where applicants will answer questions through a text-based interview rather than a face-to-face one, keeping the recruiter completely in the dark about who the potential candidate is.Diversity in the workplace is something so important and is something that at Meridian we continually focus on during our hiring process. Always discuss such issues with HR teams within your business if you have any queries or suggestions on how this can be improved within your company.Our HR team are always on hand to advise with any queries around diversity and inclusion in the workplace.If you are looking for your next role, our job listings are updated daily on our website at meridianbs.co.uk/jobs
01
Aug

Staff Retention
The Great Resignation of 2021 saw workers quit their jobs at historic rates. There are multiple schools of thought as to why this happened, but common themes include reasons such as the pandemic, Brexit, furlough, and a mass re-evaluation of personal circumstances. Whatever the reason, we know it is a concern for many businesses in the UK. Research has found that some 32% of senior decision-makers have said the phenomenon has impacted their ability to recruit and retail staff, with 31% having trouble retaining their existing employees. It is, therefore, no surprise that staff retention is a top priority for many businesses. Whether you have experienced the impact of the Great Resignation or anticipating it, the key to ensuring as little damage as possible is done, is to focus internally. Here are some of our top tips for doing so. Truly listen to employee engagement surveysMany businesses conduct annual engagement surveys, but how many senior leaders take the time to both listen and act on the results? Employee engagement surveys are not a box-ticking exercise, they offer genuine insight into your employees’ world and offer you the chance to have open and honest conversations with your people. Ensuring leadership are not only visible but approachable and listening can help with staff retention as your teams will believe that positive change will happen where needed.Listen to your leaversToo often it is easy to dismiss the words of our leavers. Exit interviews are vital when considering how to improve staff retention in the future as they give an insight into what an employee experiences within the company, which may not be seen by managerial staff. Ensuring job satisfaction for all employees is a key aspect of staff retention, with many attributes contributing to a happy workforce.Focus on onboardingAt Meridian, our Learning and Development (L&D) team make sure that all new members of the team have a coherent introduction and orientation to begin the onboarding process into the company. When employees learn the company culture and where their role fits into the team, it helps to introduce staff to the environment that they will be involved in.The L&D team also provide options for training and development within the business, whether this be internal training courses or externally provided apprenticeship courses that aid the development of skills and knowledge to further a person’s career. To many, this is also an attractive perk, as the opportunity for skills and knowledge development is not always offered. Revisit employee benefits (and talk to your staff)A pool table, beer Fridays, donut Mondays. As a recruitment company, we have seen a good many employee benefits in our time. However, if the benefits do not truly matter to your people, they can be viewed as an example of the Company not listening to them. Holding regular reviews of your employee benefits where you ask your people what is and is not working for them not only shows you are again listening to them but ensures that the benefits mean something. Refocus on outputSince the pandemic, a change in working patterns has taken over the world of work. Hybrid working has become a huge part of businesses, helping to firstly, keep people protected from Covid-19 ,19, and secondly, in discovering that the same work can be done remotely as in an office environment. This can give people more of a work-life balance in saving a daily commute and having more space to focus outside of a busy office space. In terms of staff retention, flexible working is an attractive offer for many, without having this as an option, some employees may be more inclined to leave a role that does not offer flexibility. Focusing on output rather than input can often help make this change easier for businesses. Creating a strategy of staff retention is not always easy but having one in place is crucial to a business. Making employees feel valued will help your employer brand, but also keep staff happy within the business and hopefully improve staff turnover.
01
Aug
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Diary of a New Starter: Celene Sanni
Hello, I’m Celene (pronounced like Celine Dion but don’t ask me whether I can sing… unfortunately I wasn’t blessed with the voice of an angel). I’m the Digital & Design Marketing Executive and a part of the lovely Marketing Team here at Meridian! I’m based at Head Office in Dakota House. My job responsibilities consist of implementing the cross-channel digital marketing strategy in-line with our business objectives and values. That means I find ways to reach and connect with our clients and candidates across multiple channels including email, our website, and web channels via paid Facebook and Google advertisements. In addition, I’m responsible for maintaining the Meridian Website and micro-sites like our internal intranet and managing job boards for our consultants. I also support our consultants with designing recruitment advertising materials such as leaflets, brochures, and branding.I began my career in customer services which helped me develop my communication skills and that’s where I realised that I love working with fantastic teams. I was aware of my passion to do something creative while working in customer-facing positions, but I had no idea what it may entail professionally. A few years went by, and I wasn’t feeling fulfilled by the work I was doing so I decided to focus on discovering my dream career. I started pursuing digital marketing classes after combining my passion for digital media with my love of art and design as well as my interest in insights and analysis. From there, I enrolled in WYK Digital’s accelerated Digital Marketing Training Programme, which aims to prepare students to launch careers in the performance marketing sector. Following my graduation from the programme, I landed my first ‘big-girl’ role when I was hired by m/SIX, a media agency, where I ran paid advertisements across social media channels for some huge clients. This gave me the knowledge and confidence to develop my career which led me to become a Digital Marketing Exec at Meridian. This truly is my dream job! Being new to the recruitment industry, it was eye-opening to learn about the different laws and practices that govern recruitment agencies to keep our candidates and businesses safe through Meridian's induction sessions. It was also wonderful to hear about all of Meridian's departments and how they cooperate to maintain Meridian as a top-notch agency. It made me realise how many moving parts are required to keep the business functioning and gave each team a sense of value. My initial attraction to recruitment is the way it blends my background in customer service with my love for helping people. I enjoy being a part of the system that helps match the appropriate candidates with the right clients, which is the foundation of recruitment. Meridian is a well-known company that has garnered a great deal of recognition and many awards. Even before I started, I could see a strong sense of family in the employee posts on LinkedIn and in several videos where Meridian employees discussed their experiences. I can confirm that the Meridian ‘family’ vibes are genuine after being here for almost three months – it really does feel like a big family! I am looking forward to getting started on our new website project and honing my talents as a digital and design marketer while tackling projects I’ve never experienced before is exciting for me.A big shout out to Sarah, my Manager, and Sophie the Content Executive for being the best team – it’s a pleasure to work with you both each day!
22
Jul

Report on Jobs - June
In this month’s Report on Jobs from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) there has been a noticeable slowing down of perm placements, with all other areas of recruitment seeing an increase throughout the month. At its slowest rate for 16 months, permanent placements are seemingly struggling due to a marked candidate shortage and concerns about the rising cost of living.Following a steep increase in vacancies in May’s report, the level of vacancies is now slowing down to a more manageable pace for companies to get a handle on. This is based on temporary and permanent vacancies.The UK is currently seeing lower candidate availability, with this declining rapidly throughout June. This is seen to be due to lower levels of unemployment across the country, fewer foreign workers, and candidates being unwilling to consider new roles due to the increases in the cost of living and other uncertainties within the economy. This has seen a marked impact on salaries, with salary inflation at its lowest increase since August 2021.Although the whole of the UK is seeing a lesser uptake on permanent roles, the North of England is seemingly struggling the most, with London seeing the sharpest increase in temp roles being filled.Chief Executive of REC, Neil Carberry commented:“The labour market is still strong, with demand for new staff high. That said, today’s data show that we are likely to be past the peak of the post-pandemic hiring spree. That pace of growth was always going to be temporary – the big question now is the effect that inflation has on pay and consumer demand over the course of the rest of the year. Whether we will see the market settle at close to normal levels, or see a slowdown, is unpredictable at this point.It is important to note that plenty of hiring is happening in this tight market – there are candidates out there for firms who get it right. Skilled recruitment professionals are at the heart of this, making a difference to opportunity and growth for companies and workers.”For more information on how Meridian can support your team grow, get in touch today.
12
Jul
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