Call Nixon Allen on 0113 3220 267Candidate Services

We want you to succeed

At Nixon Allen we offer a full range of services to you as a candidate, making sure you maximise your potential and complete your next move successfully.

Market Intelligence

We recognise the importance of keeping up to date in a constantly changing market. You don't have to be considering your next career move to speak to us. We offer free, impartial career advice across all sectors of the insurance industry. If you are curious about your financial value within the marketplace or your current or potential earnings, or you simply want to know about market trends, our consultants will be pleased to have a confidential, no-obligation discussion with you.

CV Preparation

Potential employers have limited time to digest all the CVs they receive. Our in-depth understanding of the market means that your CV is compiled by experts who know exactly what employers are looking for. We can ensure that your CV has the visual impact and vital components to support your application, secure that crucial first interview and maximise your appeal to potential employers.

Interview Preparation

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. We will prepare you thoroughly for any interviews so employers can see the benefit of recruiting you and you can assess whether they will provide you with the opportunities you are looking for in your future career.

Before attending any interview we can provide you with a background of the business, their philosophy and culture, how they operate, areas of experiese and plans for the future. We'll also prepare you for questions you are most likely to be asked;
  • Reasons for leaving your current business?
  • What do you know about the business?
  • Why you are interested in the business?
  • What strengths can you bring to the business?
  • Your aspirations for the future?
You will be expected to talk through your CV, your current and previous roles and key achievements. Talking about your achievements and backing that up with tangibles such as any targets achieved can help you demonstrate success in previous roles - invaluable during an interview.

Showing the employer you have prepared with a list of questions to ask them is often essential to securing a role, probing further into information you have collated from other sources. Moreover you need a level of information in order to make an informed decision and need to come away from the meeting knowing if the role is for you or not.
  • Key duties & responsibilities of the role?
  • The types of work or clients handled by the department/team?
  • Plans for the business moving forward?
  • Training and development opportunities?
  • Career prospects and how the role will develop?
  • The current team, how they work and how you would compliment this team?
If you are interested in moving forward you should always try and close the interview, dependent on how you feel your meeting has gone you could ask;
  • Do they have any reservations? (this is a great opportunity to overcome anything that may have been misunderstood)
  • Is there anything that would stop you from offering me the job?
  • What the next stage would be?
  • Are they considering other applicants and how you measure against them?
Be aware of your appearance and body language - a firm handshake, eye contact and a smile, show confidence. Your non-verbal communication is as important, if not more so, than what you say.

Conveying enthusiasm for the role and organisation is essential to a successful outcome, as is how effectively you are able build a rapport with the interviewer and anyone else in the business you have contact with. If you are interested in the opportunity tell them so.

Negotiation & Offers

When you have secured an offer of employment we will negotiate the offer on your behalf. Working with you we will ensure that you receive the best offer available without pricing you out of the opportunity and putting the offer at risk. We will present the offer in a clear and concise manner.

Giving Notice & Counter Offers

Handing in your notice can be a daunting experience - sometimes more harrowing than the interview process. Our consultants will be on hand to support you, providing you with advice on resignation letters, what to expect from a meeting with your manager and how best to deal with their reaction.

It is not unusual for companies to respond to resignations by matching or exceeding your new salary package as it can be the easiest and most cost-effective way to solve the problem of losing a valuable member of staff. However, upon accepting a counter offer and verbal assurances we often find candidates` reasons for leaving go unresolved and the individual concerned is back on the employment market within 6-12 months. We will be available if this difficult situation should arise, offering guidance and advice throughout. It is important to remain focused on the reason you decided on the change in your career and how your new role will fulfil your aspirations. However, if we genuinely feel a counter offer is the best option and the right way for you to meet you career objectives, we will say so.