All posts by Rachel Pallett

The logistics industry has never had more demands on it than now. With personalisation and a demand for an excellent customer experience non-negotiable, companies need to be more competitive than ever. And SMEs have the upper hand!

SMEs are able to be more agile than larger logistics organisations, and therefore can respond to gaps in the market quickly. This can be a significant advantage to smaller organisations in the supply chain.

By choosing a niche, SMEs are almost able to guarantee continued demand for their services, which in today’s turbulent market is hugely advantageous.

Given the desire by consumers to have an excellent customer experience, SMEs are in a much better position to offer a personalised touch to their customers – who in turn will tell their associates of the excellent service they received.

As new technology becomes more readily available, again the agile nature of SMEs means that they can take advantage of this new technology more easily than their larger counterparts and continue to improve their services.

It looks like in today’s industry it’s time for the SME to thrive!

For more information about our latest logistics vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Your CV is in most cases the first introduction you can make to potential new employers. It’s important therefore to get it right and stand out from the crowd. So what are employers looking for when it comes to your CV?

Make it clear. A CV should be no longer than 2 pages, and should be informative and concise when it comes to detailing your skills and experiences. Stick to the point!

Education v skills? Include your highest level of qualification, but also include a bullet point list of your skill sets – this will immediately tell an employer what you’re made of.

How does it look? Make sure the CV is formatted correctly, and use a font that is easy to read and professional.

Tailor your CV. Yes, it can seem a big task, but you should edit your CV according to each role you apply for – pointing out your key areas of expertise for the specific job you’re applying to.

For more tips on how to make your CV stand out, give us a call!

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact Flexistaff on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Long distance lorry driving is a rewarding career with excellent benefits. It can also be fast paced and busy, and learning how to manage large vehicles over long distances is key to a long and successful driving career. Here’s our top tips.

You’re bigger than everyone else! Spatial awareness if key when driving large vehicles – give other vehicles lots of space in front of you as heavy vehicles will take a longer time and distance to break effectively. When changing lanes, be aware of your many blind spots, diligently use your indicators and try to change lanes as little as possible – only when it’s necessary!

Look after yourself. Make sure you take your regular breaks every time, and make sure you are able to get enough sleep between trips. If you’re feeling too tired to drive, never risk it – stop the vehicle in a safe place and where possible aim to take a 15-20 minute power nap.

Maintain your vehicle. It’s important to have a basic understanding of vehicle maintenance just in case. Check your vehicle thoroughly before you start any long journey.

What are your top tips for long distance lorry driving?

For more information about our latest driving vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844556 2916 or [email protected].

Organisation is key when it comes to work, with the workplace today busier than ever. But how can you be more organised, and therefore more effective, at work? Take a look at our top tips.

Start a to-do list. If you feel overwhelmed by tasks and you don’t know where to start, a list is a great way to prioritise and give you the brain space to consider how to plan your day. It may not even be a list of everything you’ll need to do that day, but by listing your tasks you can work out what need doing today – and what can be done on another day.

Use your diary to plan your projects. Allocate time to each of your tasks in your diary so you know exactly how you’re going to complete your tasks and when.

Leave your phone alone! Sometimes when we’re trying to complete tasks we can get distracted by phonecalls and emails – Turn off your phone and your email if you need space to complete a task.

Delegate where required. It can sometimes feel easier to just get a job done yourself – but it’s not practical or efficient. Consider which of your tasks can be delegated to other members of the team.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Warehouses are busy places and forklifts are a must in this type of environment. There are several benefits to choosing a variety of forklifts for your fleet though – So why should you consider a variety of forklifts for your warehouse?

Up the efficiency! By having more than one type of forklift, every type of task in your warehouse can be efficiently completed, with a specific tool ready and waiting to complete the task at hand. By working more efficiently, productivity is sure to increase.

Make sure you’ve got a back up. If one of your forklifts stops working, it’s good to have a back up plan. With a variety of forklifts, you’ll have your pick of machines at the ready. With many forklift models offering multiple functions, chances are a faulty vehicle won’t hold you up for too long.

Ready for the challenge? Handling materials and working in a warehouse is full of unexpected challenges; if you have different types of forklifts at your disposal, you’ll have more options available to you to overcome any challenges ahead.

For more information about our forklift opportunities, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

It’s a question that many job seekers have had to face – Do tattoos and piercings reduce your chances of advancement in your career?

The short answer is it really does depend on the hiring manager, recruiter and the requirements of the job.

For some jobs, if you’re not customer facing, you are likely to find hiring managers are more flexible in terms of your appearance (to a certain extent). The main concern for employers is the impression of their organisation given by their employees.

It may also depend on the extent of your tattoos or piercings. If your tattoos are easily covered up, for example, then it’s unlikely you’ll face any objections. However, if you are heavily tattooed, you may find more challenges ahead.

If you have concerns when looking for a new job, do your research into the company culture before your interview. At least that way you’ll have an understanding of what the employers find acceptable!

Realistically, the vast majority of employers will assess your abilities and skills sets – So don’t let your piercings and tattoos hold you back!

For more information on our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Finding a new job is a challenging business, and sometimes feels like a full time job in itself! Searching and applying for jobs can be time consuming, and that’s before you secure an interview! Finding time to interview can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you already have a job – here’s our top tips.

Does it have to be in working hours? In the first instance, try to arrange an interview outside of your working day – this could be around your shift pattern, or out of hours if you work a 9-5. There’s no harm in asking! An early morning or evening interview might be an option, and means you won’t have to take time out of your current role.

Be as honest as you can be. Lies to get out of work, including “pulling a sickie” is definitely not recommended and can cause more problems down the line. All parties involved deserve to be treated fairly.

Use your holiday. Whilst you might prefer to spend your annual leave actually on holiday, it can be used for other reasons – and you’re entitled to a certainly amount of day’s leave a year. If you are looking for a new job, using your annual leave for interviews is the fairest way to take time off work.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact Flexistaff on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

If you drive vans professionally for a living, it’s probable that you’ve loaded and unloaded your van more times than you can remember. However, it’s vital that drivers pay attention to the way they load their vans to avoid injury. Take a look at our top tips!

Know your strength! Be aware of what you’re able to lift and what you can’t. The use of lifting aids where possible will make a huge difference to your own productivity!

Clear the route. Make sure your route is clear before you start carrying your load, ensure you have a place to stop if your items get too heavy, and park as close to your parcel’s final destination as possible!

It is too heavy? If your parcel is too heavy to lift, see if the parcel can be broken up into smaller parcels to make things easier, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

What about your shoes? Even if you’re strong enough to lift your parcels, slipping or inadequate shoes could make your life a whole lot harder.

Make sure you’re insured! You never know – make sure you and your van are covered!

For more information about our latest driving vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

These days the interviewing process can consist of a few stages, and the telephone interview is becoming a popular way to screen applicants in the early stages of recruitment. It’s vital you’re properly prepared for a telephone interview – So what are our top tips?

Take it seriously. A telephone interview might seem easy, but it’s important that you prepare just as thoroughly as you would for a face to face interview. Remember, you’ll need to perform well to get to the next stage!

Think about your environment. Make sure you are in a quiet place with no distractions or background noise if possible. Try to sit at a desk or table where you can easily take notes during the interview if needed. Concentrate only on the telephone interview; no food, no magazines, and definitely no background TV!

How should you answer? Make sure you’re prepared to answer the phone professionally when the call comes – it’s good to start the interview in the right way! Make sure you state your name when answering the phone so the interviewer is clear that they are speak to the right person.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

We all know that forklifts are designed to lift objects, not people. But in some cases, forklift can provide a temporary platform or stairs if required – and to make it safe it’s vital you use a forklift safety cage. But when should you use it?

Forklift safety cages should be used only in certain situations. It’s possible to use a safety cage when you need to carry out emergency repairs or for non-routine maintenance. In some cases it may even be safer to use a forklift rather than more traditional methods like scaffolding, and it may be the best option when specialist support is not available.

Most importantly, when using forklift safety cages you must have full training and be aware of all health and safety considerations. Even if you’ve had training  before, this training must be refresh on a periodic basis. Be aware of the load limit and make sure you communicate effectively with your team at all times. Proper protective workwear is an absolute must.

For more information about our latest forklift vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916.