Hi All,

Leah here from CMSE Recruitment. Following on from my colleague Karen’s article about Competency vs behavioural interviews, I wanted to pop on the give you some info on the STAR method.

You may of my not have come across this previously but if not, let me give you a brief overview.

The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioural based interview question by discussing the following;

S – Specific situation.

Example: Sales revenue was falling.

T – Task.

Example: My goal was to generate new incentives, to result in a minimum 10% increase in sales.

A – Action.

Example: I arranged an event for clients who had not renewed advertising contracts.

R – Result.

Example: We re-signed contracts with 10 previous clients for advertising packages, which increased our sales by 15% over the same period the previous year.

Tips;

• Practice using the STAR Method on common behavioural interviewing questions.
• Follow all parts of the STAR method in sequence.
• Focus on You. Explain what specific steps you took and what your particular contribution was.
• Be specific at all times. Don’t generalise or amalgamate several events; give a detailed accounting of one specific occasion/event.
• Be honest. Don’t exaggerate or hide any part of your example.
• eliminate any examples that do not paint you in a positive manner, but remember that some negative examples can be used to highlight your strengths in the face of adversity.

CMSE Recruitment specialises in the recruitment and placement of safety personnel across Environmental, Pharma, Medical Device, Fire Safety, Construction, Process Engineering and more. 

If you’re interested in having a confidential chat about your career progression in EHS, contract or permanent roles please contact the CMSE Recruitment team at 0818 315 415 or [email protected] 

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Chris Mee Group are delighted to be supporting Kayls Cole for the 2022 Season. The 18-year-old, Leaving Certificate student is one of the brightest young stars of Irish motorsport and the first female Karter in Ireland to move up to single seater racing and made the bold move to race in the highly competitive UK F1000 championship in 2021.

Having recently been presented with the award for “highest-scoring novice” in the 2021 F1000 Championship prizegiving ceremony at Silverstone, Kayls is working hard to balance her leaving cert exam prep and career in motorsport. Her ambition is to be the first Irish women to race in the all-female W series championship. This alongside her passion for art and engineering are major contributory reasons for her post leaving cert course choice of Mechanical Engineering with a race team in Britain.

The Chris Mee Group supports the development of young talent in many ways. 

Our people are our biggest asset and we believe in supporting and encouraging young people in advancing their careers, be it in motor sport or in academia. 

We have sponsored a number of academic awards in various third level colleges in the past. 

We also pride ourselves in our Graduate programme.  The Chris Mee Group will be hiring a number of graduates this year. See HERE for more details

In the meantime we look forward to following Kayls progress in the pre rounds of the British Monoposto championship and the F1000 championship this year!

The CMSE Recruitment team are always looking for ways to assist our job candidates to prepare for interviews.

We’ve found over the years that clients can differ greatly in their approaches when it comes to interviewing process.  Two of the most consistently popular interview types that we find are, competency and behavioural. These can both help the Interviewer gain an understanding of each candidate when it comes to experience and approach to work. They also provide the interviewer with a fair way to compare the behaviours and skills of multiple candidates.

What’s the difference between behaviour and competency Interviews?

While both question types usually begin with “Can you tell me about a time when X…” or “Can you give me an example of an time when Y…” , each question type aims to uncover fundamentally different information.

Behavioural Interviews aim to understand the way a candidate works, and their potential fit within the team, based on an organisation’s values and way of operating.

Behavioural questions have no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is looking for examples from your experience which will demonstrate your working style and personal attributes.

Examples of common behavioural interview questions;

1. Can you tell us about a time when you went above and beyond for a client/customer
2. Can you give us an example of an occasion where attention to detail was vital and how you completed the task accurately?
3. Can you give us an example of a time when you’ve been part of a group working toward a specific goal. What was your role in the group?

Alternatively, Competency Interviews aim to assess whether the candidate possesses the relevant skills and knowledge based on the specific job description of a role.

This interview type allows the interviewer to assess your skills, expertise and abilities and determine if you’re at the level of proficiency needed to be successful in the role.

Examples of common competency interview questions ;

1. Can you tell us about a time when you used your creativity to solve a problem?
2. Can you describe to us a time when you’ve led a team through a period of change?
3. Can you describe a time when you were required to use available data / analytics to make an informed decision?

CMSE Recruitment specialises in the recruitment and placement of safety personnel across Environmental, Pharma, Medical Device, Fire Safety, Construction, Process Engineering and more. 

If you’re interested in having a confidential chat about your career progression in EHS, contract or permanent roles please contact the CMSE Recruitment team at 0818 315 415 or [email protected] 

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• Leah’s Top Tips for Contractors!
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May 8^th to 14^th is Food Allergy Awareness week.  A food allergy occurs when ones immune system responds to a food that the body has incorrectly recognises as being harmful. As part of the bodies response, antibodies are produced and a complex chain of events begin to occur, leading to the release of substances such as histamine.

The FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) note that there are 14 allergens that must be declared by law, including; Eggs, Fish, Peanuts, Soybeans, Milk and more.

According to a 2014 report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), approximately 3% of adults and children are estimated to suffer with food allergies and intolerances.

Incidences of food allergies and intolerances in industrialised nations are generally accepted to be on the rise.

This, Food Allergy Awareness week. CMSE Training are offering a 25% discount for the first 100 people who sign up for our 100 minute, CPD, Gatehouse Awards, Institute of Hospitality & IIRSM Approved Allergen Awareness Online training course using Discount Code: FAAW2022 . Offer Expires May 15th 2022.

This Allergen Awareness Online training course will cover;

• General allergies,
• Food allergies
• Food intolerances
• The differences between allergies & Intolerance
• The 14 allergens controlled by legislation along with food additives and how they can trigger allergic reactions.
• It takes a detailed look at the symptoms of food allergies and takes in the wider picture discussing the current theories of why rates are increasing.
• It then finishes off by covering practical steps that can be taken to reduce the risk from allergens and also what steps can be taken both internally and externally to monitor the control measures

Register Here using discount code: FAAW2022

1. Explain your employment history

   If you’re currently in a contract, ensure that you update your LinkedIn profile with this new experience.

   Consecutive short-term roles in your employment history can be red flags to Hiring Managers. Give information on each short role that you have worked. Was it a maternity cover contract? Was it a 6-month project? This information can be extremely beneficial and work in your favour.

2. Make the most of your online profiles

   When you have an end date for your current contract you should update your “about” section to say something along the lines of; “Current contract ending in July. Interested in 6-12 month contracts in the Leinster/Munster region beginning in August 2022”. This will prevent you being approached with irrelevant roles.

3. Make sure choose a professional profile picture

   Choose a good quality headshot against a clean background. Keep it role appropriate. Avoid pictures from personal/social events as these don’t properly represent your professional career.

4. List all certifications/qualifications

   List all certificates that you have completed during you career, as well as your qualifications is key to showcase your knowledge and capabilities. Especially if they relate to specific systems or software, they may be exactly what the client is looking for.

5. Engage with an accountancy company

   A good accountancy company will be able to offer you the expertise and knowledge on umbrella company setup, help with contract tax, compliance and administration.

Chris Mee Group Recruitment specialises in the recruitment of EHS, Fire and Safety people; Construction Safety Officers, Safety people, Process Engineers and more. 

If you’re interested in a contract or permanent EHS in Pharma, Medical Device, Manufacturing, Construction etc please contact the CMSE Recruitment team for a confidential chat or professional advice.

Call 1850 315 415 or email [email protected]

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