Search colleagues support Virgin with their latest service to High Street Banking

When you talk about 'going the extra mile' for a client, little would you expect to turn your hand to a new job. That's what happened for some colleagues at Search when they became models in their lunch breaks and supported Virgin Money's photo-shoot for the launch of the Virgin Money Lounge, Manchester.

Our Hospitality recruitment consultant Dan Franklin thoroughly enjoyed the experience and talking of the Virgin Money Lounge concept said: "The idea of a bank providing additional hospitality services to its customers is revolutionary and we really hope it takes off here in Manchester. And we were, of course, delighted to support Virgin Money with the recruitment of their Lounge Hosts."

For more information about Virgin Money Lounges, click here.

To see our super star consultants in action, check out our Facebook page.

Call Centres get a relatively bad press as employers and yet, the fact is that the staff tend to be a happy crew! I think the perception is too negative and not always justifiable. These are my 3 reasons why working in a call centre can be a good idea.

Big brands

Some of the biggest brands operate call centres in the UK and one of the big advantages of working in a call centre is that you really can get an oversight of the whole company. As CEOs of multinational brands go undercover and back to the "shop floor" to get a feel for their customers, brand and staff; you're already in a perfect position to get a flavour of all of these. In fact, you can't help but take it all in and what you learn could give you a foothold to move up within the organisation in the future.

Team work

There is, undoubtedly, a sense of camaraderie in call centres, some of it built around the fact that the job can be challenging at times - you have to think on your feet and remember your training. The workforces tend to be hugely diverse, and most people find it very easy to make friends. Also the staff facilities can be impressive in call centres. You have the opportunities to relax at breaks - further opening up the social nature of the job, whether it's playing pool or watching TV over lunch.

In demand skills

Depending on whether you're starting on the job ladder or looking to use your skill-set effectively, call centres are great places to work. Negotiating and interpersonal skills will be learnt or utilised heavily within a call centre environment as you deal with customers in a courteous and helpful manner. In addition your problem-solving skills will undoubtedly be called on. You're not just taking phone calls; you are networking, managing customer accounts, perhaps even training others and developing your own skill set.

In call centres, as with any place of work, you have to be prepared to work hard and show initiative. You'll find positives and negatives but if you are looking for a challenge and an interesting work environment, then I would definitely recommend it!

At Search, our Hospitality division faces its busiest times of the year. For the Northern England market, there are exciting times ahead of Manchester and Leeds in particular.

With the festivities close at hand, the temporary market is buzzing as the abundance of establishments across Manchester & Leeds gear up for the party season. In contrast, the permanent side of the industry is naturally slowing down, with hotels and restaurants looking to hold on to their star performers to see them through to the new year.

New hotels are on the cards for Manchester ranging from funky boutiques to hotel metropolises. The aim of the game is for Manchester to be the hospitality capital of the UK with hotels being represented from every group and not forgetting the anticipated ground-breaking training hotel.

More celebrity chefs will be arriving to join Simon Rimmer and Michael Caines establishments in Manchester. Such as Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's" and the hugely anticipated arrival of a Marco Pierre White concept - exciting stuff!

Also on the agenda is the race to get to the much coveted Michelin Star - Manchester's first since the departure of Juniper. We already have some front runners, but there are some dark forces at work that have prevented these much loved haunts being awarded so far! So maybe the fresh influx of restaurateurs will snatch the title?

Media City, the BBC's Salford HQ is close to completion. As such the branded restaurants are closing in on the potential footfall that awaits, from Wagamama to Manchester's first Prezzo.

In Leeds the Restaurant boom continues. After the successful launches of Carluccio's and James Martin's The Kitchen, they will soon be joined by a 3^rd Nando's and a Frankie and Benny's based at the new development at Crown Point.

Leeds has also seen the opening of its first Krispy Kreme retail store on the Birstall Retail Park which continues to go from strength to strength.

The Temporary side of the business is picking up due to the mass banqueting taking place at such places as The Queens, The Majestic and The Royal Armouries.

As in Manchester, the permanent market in Restaurant, Bars and Hotels has slowed however, with extra headcount and exciting new developments in early 2012, the Leeds market will soon be the place to be for the Hospitality stars of the future!

Finding a new job isn't fun. It is hard work, time consuming and occasionally soul destroying, but in fact not nearly as painful as staying in a job you're no longer happy in. Are you practising your avoidance techniques right now? Read on for what you need to do to make the process easier, more enjoyable and less stressful.

Get ready

Make sure your CV is up to date, displays your skills and experience as well as your career interests and what you want to do and learn next. Put together a generic cover letter which you can tailor to specific applications quicker and easier as and when you find them.

Although you're not yet at interview stage, make sure you're prepared for it. Have you got something to wear? Do you need a haircut? You could be asked to attend an interview at short notice, so make life easier for yourself by getting these things sorted in advance.

Keep in touch with people in your network. Keep a list of all the people you liked and respected who have left the business, who you went to school with or have worked with in a previous employer. Stay in touch periodically so you can activate your network when you're ready. Be open about the fact that you're looking for a new job as you never know who they might know.

Also look at expanding your network, volunteer, join clubs, go to local networking events - make sure you meet new people and have their contact information. If you are thinking about a new career, focus this activity in the new career area.

Research

Take some time to think about what you want out of your career. Are there aspects of your role that you want to change, what sector do you want to be in, who are the ideal employers in this arena? There are more ways to research a job today than ever before - blogs, forums, networking sites, all providing valuable information on jobs or companies. If you're interested in a specific company set up a Google News Alert to send you news as soon as it becomes available. Research and make contact with Recruiters who will be able to help you identify opportunities and support you with your research.

Act

Apply! Don't be hesitant - yes it takes time to tailor your application, to research, but if you follow the above steps up front, it becomes quicker and easier. Dedicate a certain time slot every day to managing your job search and applications. If you treat it as a daily task, you'll be efficient and ahead of the game! Stay organised, keep a log of all of your applications and the stages you're at. That way you'll avoid making duplicate applications and when a company calls you back you'll know exactly who they are and what the job is.

Keep it in perspective

Be sure to have more to your life than the job search! Family, friends, a hobby, etc. Do the job, don't be the job. Individuals who have other interests and other contacts independently from work can often be more confident and resilient, they are the ones who find it much easier to brave the quirks of the job market. And finally, be patient. Finding a job in today's market is not easy and it may take a while. Don't give up hope, you'll get there.