Finding your dream role or a temporary placement will inevitably throw up a lot of questions. We’ve created a list of frequently asked questions that we hear from candidates. If your question hasn’t been answered, then please contact us.
Temporary employment is an ideal way of exploring different working environments and a variety of jobs. Temporary work often leads to permanent employment so it can be a great way to experience a job before making a more long term commitment.
Temporary work will also enhance your CV. When you’re working for Headway we will take care of you to ensure you are placed in suitable assignments that match your skills so you never feel out of your depth. We are responsible for paying you and dealing with all the legislative requirements. We also keep in touch with you and the company you are working for to make sure everything is going well.
Once we’ve found you a suitable temporary job we’ll explain everything you need to know about the role, hours of work, duties, pay, duration, location and travel directions. You’ll also get written confirmation.
We’ll call you when you start, just to check how everything is going and then keep in touch during the assignment. We’re always at the end of the phone if you need any help or advice. You’ll also receive a Contract of Employment.
You’ll be sent a timesheet each week you work. You need to complete the timesheet with the hours you work, get the timesheet signed by your manager and then send it back to our office by email, fax or post to arrive by 9.00 am the following Monday morning.
We process the payroll in-house and you’ll receive payment into your bank account by BACS on the Thursday following the week you worked. As your employer, we make all statutory deductions. A payslip will be sent by email which you will receive each Tuesday. We will ask for your bank details when you register.
If you have a P45 for the current tax year from your last employer or the Job Centre you need to submit this to us. If you don’t have a current P45 we’ll provide you with a P46 to complete. This will mean you pay the correct amount of tax from day one.
Yes, you do! As a temp you are entitled to a maximum of 28 days paid holiday including statutory holidays for each complete year you work. Your holiday year runs from the date you start working. If you want to take holiday during your assignment you need to check first with the company that it is OK with them and then put in a written request for holiday pay.
If you’re unable to go to work for any reason you need to notify your consultant by 9.00 am. We’ll then inform the company. Through any period of sickness, you must keep your consultant updated as to when you expect to return to work. You may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay subject to the rules of the scheme and submitting the relevant medical documents.
Yes, it does, it applies to every temporary worker. There are 2 stages that apply to AWR – “day one rights” and “12 week qualifying period”. From day one of an assignment, a temporary worker has equal access to “collective facilities” (canteen, parking, showers, gym, vacancies and so on). After 12 weeks in the same assignment, temporary workers are entitled to “equal treatment”. This means that the temporary worker’s terms and conditions must be no less favourable than if the hiring company had employed them directly, taking into account qualifications, skills and experience. This includes rate of pay, holiday pay, overtime and night pay. We contact the company prior to the end of week 12 to establish the relevant information and you’ll be notified of any adjustments to your pay and conditions.
Yes, it does! Each employer is given a “staging date” for Auto Enrolment. The “staging date” is the date they have to have a pension scheme available for all employees to join. Full information on Auto Enrolment will be available when you are near to the “staging date.”
We have strong relationships with major businesses in the office, management and engineering sectors throughout West Yorkshire. Getting that dream job isn’t always easy so we help by highlighting the things that we know are most important to potential employers. Our consultants are a friendly bunch and their goal is to work with you to get you the type of job you’re after.
Easy! Our website has been built with you in mind. You can upload your CV so we have your details on file and you can sign up to regular email updates as and when jobs in your selected category become available.
We’ll also need you to drop into one of our offices to register in person at some point and we will contact you to arrange this. When you come, you’ll need to bring some ID with you, preferably an in date passport and your most current CV (if the one we have on file is out of date). When you’re here you’ll need to fill in some simple application forms and complete some short tests relevant to your skills. After that you’ll have an interview with one of our consultants and we’ll do the rest! Simple!
During your interview, your consultant will have established what area of work you are looking to get into, the skills you have to offer and your salary and benefits expectations.
We’ll then discuss with you any vacancies that match your expectations. We’ll provide you with full and comprehensive information about the job vacancy and company so that you can decide if you’d like to apply for the role. Once we have your permission, we’ll send your CV to the company. We’ll liaise with you to make interview arrangements and provide you with full confirmation in writing. It couldn’t be easier!
Your CV is your most important sales tool and you want it to work for you. Be sure to check it for spelling mistakes, poor layout and incorrect contact details – potential employers will immediately disregard CVs with mistakes. Your CV should be no more than 2 pages of A4 in a simple typeface and have a clear and uncluttered layout. List your jobs starting from the most recent, detailing your responsibilities in bullet form, your job title and the dates of employment.
You’ll need to include a personal profile, your contact details, your education and qualifications as well as relevant skills you have. Do not use graphics or include a photograph and make sure your email address is appropriate. Never exaggerate your CV as it is inevitable you will be caught out!
We’re happy to discuss your CV when you register and help you get it right.
Your consultant will give you a full outline of the job you’ve been put forward for in writing. However, we would advise you do some research of your own. The more prepared you are, the more chance you have of getting the job.
It is advisable to go on the company’s website so that you have a good knowledge of what they do. Have some general questions prepared, but you may also want to ask some specific questions. Make sure you fully understand the job description and, if there’s anything you’re still uncertain about, call your consultant, who will be more than happy to help.
First impressions are critical, so make sure you’re wearing professional business dress, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact! Arrive in plenty of time – check and double check the time of your interview and make sure you know who to ask for. If you’re uncertain about the location of the company or how long it will take to get there, do a trial run the day before. At the interview make sure you listen, try to remain calm and answer questions fully but don’t waffle! If you have enjoyed the interview and would be interested in the role be sure to say so. You could also ask, if it is not explained, what the next stage in the recruitment process will be.
Call your consultant as soon as possible after your interview with your feedback and let them know how keen you are (or not) on the job. This will help when the consultant speaks with the company. If you’re not successful at an interview, we’ll always try to give you feedback, which could be helpful for future interviews.
You need to carefully consider why you started looking for a new job in the first place. Money will be one reason but there will also be other factors. So even if you get more money out of your company now, will anything else change?
Also, think about what you had to do to get the salary increase. If you decide to stay where you are, your employers will know that you have been looking for another job so your relationship may change. There is a lot to think about but the rule of thumb is that 70-80% of people who accept counter offers either leave or are let go within a year!
At Headway we are passionate about eliminating discrimination in the workplace, which is why all our staff look to identify any recruitment practices that could put any one of our candidates at a disadvantage in their job search. You’ll always be judged on your abilities alone – that’s all Headway are interested in, we make sure it’s all that the employers we work with are interested in too.
We protect your rights and promote equal opportunities and diversity; and to make sure you’re always treated the way you should be, we adhere to the following acts of legislation:
Headway Recruitment is committed to providing a high level service to our customers. If you do not receive satisfaction from us we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
If you have a complaint, please contact the manager of the office in question by phone in the first instance so that we can try to resolve your complaint informally.
At this stage, if you are not satisfied please contact Mark Gill, Managing Director. You can write to him at: mark@headwayrecruitment.co.uk
or
30a Bingley Road, Saltaire, Bradford, BD18 4RS.
We will send you a letter acknowledging your complaint and asking you to confirm or explain the details set out. We will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint. You can usually expect to receive our letter within 7 days of us receiving your complaint.
We will record your complaint in our central register within a day of having received it.
We will acknowledge your reply to our acknowledgment letter and confirm what will happen next. You can expect to receive our acknowledgement letter within 5 days of your reply.
We will then start to investigate your complaint. This will normally involve the following steps;
We may ask the member of staff who dealt with you to reply to your complaint within 5 days of our request;
We will then examine the member of staff’s reply and the information you have provided for us. If necessary we may ask you to speak to them. This will take up to 4 days from receiving their reply.
Mark Gill will then invite you to meet him to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint (unless the complainant is deemed to acted in an aggressive manner). He will do this within 5 days of the end of our investigation.
Within 2 days of the meeting Mark Gill will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions he has agreed with you.
If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Mark Gill will send you a detailed reply to your complaint. This will include his suggestions for resolving the matter. He will do this within 5 days of completing his investigation.
At this stage, if you are still not satisfied you can write to the REC, our trade association of which we are a member marked for the attention of the Consultancy and Compliance Team, REC, Dorset House, 1st Floor, 27 – 45 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NT.
If we have to change any of the time scales above, we will let you know and explain why.
NOTE: In any event, we will comply with any statutory procedures that may relate to your complaint.