How To Stand Out in the Interim Market
15 Feb, 20241-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- What an interim role is.
- How to find an interim role.
- How to stand out in the interim market.
- Where the latest interim jobs are and how to apply for them.
What is an interim role?
An interim role is temporary or short-term employment, usually lasting anywhere between 3 months to a year.
Generally, interim roles are found at leadership and managerial level and require professionals to join an organisation and oversee a project or team with little to no training needed.
Interim workers are typically hired for a specific period, usually to fulfil a particular need or address a temporary gap in a team.
For this reason, interim roles require a high level of expertise, commitment and leadership and are often found within local authorities, due to their requirement for specialised skills and tight deadlines.
How can I find an interim role?
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to find and secure a new interim role is to sign up to a recruitment agency which specialises in this area.
As a specialist recruiter for the interim market, we work alongside hundreds of local authorities across the UK, who hire for a variety of different roles on an interim basis.
By registering with us and uploading your CV, you could be one step closer to landing your next interim position. Using our services is an effective way to secure an interim position that will utilise your skills, experience and expertise.
With the fast-paced nature of the interim market, competition can be intense and vacancies less visible. Working alongside Spencer Clarke Group is a sure fire way to streamline your job search and ensure the continuous security of your next assignment.
Not only do our consultants have an exceptional success rate and industry knowledge, they are also able to offer advice on tailoring your CV to each employer and what a hiring manager is looking for.
With expert knowledge at every stage of the recruitment process, we’re on hand to assist you with your search for an exciting interim role!
How can I stand out in the interim market?
5 ways to stand out in the interim market include:
- Clearly set out your strengths.
- Maintain a positive reputation.
- Be realistic.
- Demonstrate your initiative.
- Regularly update your CV.
Clearly set out your strengths
In order to stand out within the interim market, it’s important to know your strengths.
Showcasing your skills, experience and expertise is a key part of demonstrating your suitability for a role.
Many hiring managers for interim roles are looking for someone who will hit the ground running within their organisation. Getting to grips with the challenge you’ve been hired to solve, or leading a team to success within the organisation is vital. If you know you possess the skills and experience to do this, shout about it on your CV and in any job interviews.
Interim recruitment specialist, John Shorrock, says “Knowing where you can add value to an organisation and highlighting how you will go about this, is a key way of clearly setting out your strengths to an employer.”
John continues, “If you’re in the process of looking for a new interim role, I advise taking a thorough look at a job description. Throughout your CV pinpoint elements of the description and highlight how your skills and experience will help to add value to the organisation and the specific goals of the role in question.”
Maintain a positive reputation
A positive reputation is important within any industry, but especially within the fast-paced world of interim work.
When joining an organisation on an interim basis, a hiring manager will want to know that you have previous successes under your belt and that you are able to communicate effectively within a new team. If this is the case, you’re a desirable candidate to any organisation.
Maintaining a positive reputation is key for securing your next interim assignment. If a hiring manager knows you are trustworthy, hard working and organised, this will pay testament to your character and stand you in good stead throughout your job search.
References and testimonials are a fantastic way for an employer to gain a detailed insight into your character and work ethic.
Being armed with the respected opinions of other professionals, who can corroborate the skills and experience you display on your CV, is an important way of boosting your reputation within a busy interim market.
Be realistic
There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting yourself goals throughout your job search, but it’s vital to be realistic about the roles you apply for.
Applying for positions that require qualifications you do not have, might make it look as though you lack skills and experience when in reality, you’re just not suited to the role in question. Don’t sell yourself short by applying for roles out of your reach.
As well as during your job search, it’s equally as important to be realistic throughout your employment. Overcommitting to a role or not being able to deliver on your promises, won’t impress any hiring manager. If you are hired to lead a team, you will be held accountable for any mistakes or shortfalls, so being realistic about your managerial capabilities is vital.
Set yourself clear and realistic objectives so that you are able to deliver results and create a positive change within an organisation.
If you are set an unrealistic goal by a senior member of staff, don’t be afraid to manage their expectations. They are likely to have more respect for you if you are honest from the start, than if you promise the world and then mess up in the process.
Demonstrate your initiative
The nature of interim work requires candidates to join an organisation, take on a role and make a positive impact without the need for prior training or long on boarding procedures.
Therefore, demonstrating your initiative is of utmost importance for standing out in the interim market.
Interim recruitment specialist, Richard Shorrock, says “You should illustrate instances on your CV where you took initiative within a previous role, whether this was to identify and solve a problem, lead a team or overcome a challenge.”
Richard continues, “In order to stand out in a pool of candidates, we advise explicitly highlighting to an employer exactly how your initiative resulted in a positive outcome for your previous employer.”
For example, instead of saying ‘I took the initiative to delegate tasks between team members whilst we worked on X project.’ say, ‘I took the initiative to delegate tasks between team members whilst we worked on X project, which saved X amount of time and resulted in an increase of X’.
Hiring managers are looking for interim workers to add value to their organisation and proactively contribute to the success of a project, so shout about your previous efforts to demonstrate initiative.
Regularly update your CV
An up-to-date CV is a vital component of standing out in any industry, but the practice of maintaining a relevant CV within an accelerated interim market is key.
With short term roles, it’s always advised to be looking for your next position before current employment ends.
In order to stay on top of your job search, being ready with an up to date CV means you are able to send this out to employers and speed up the process of securing your next assignment.
We also advise tailoring your CV to individual employers. Bulk sending a generic CV could imply to a hiring manager that you are lazy; this won’t make a good impression and it is unlikely to help you stand out in the crowded interim market.
Where the latest interim jobs are and how to apply for them
On the lookout for your next interim job? For positions within the SEND industry our Divisional Manager, Richard Shorrock, works with a multitude of local authorities across the UK.
For interim roles within the public sector, Lead Consultant, John Shorrock, is currently working on a number of fantastic leadership and managerial opportunities.
Alternatively, you can upload your CV and one of our expert consultants will be in touch with any vacancies that suit your credentials.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
As a vibrant and forward thinking recruitment agency, we are committed to making our mark on the industry. Our continuous dedication to candidates and clients alike has driven us to shape a fulfilling future for everyone.
We have been matching candidates and clients since 2017, going above and beyond to ensure the recruitment process is a success for all. We understand the importance of finding a candidate a role they will thrive in and the necessity for clients to hire committed, hard working and qualified individuals.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
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