Month: November 2016

alcohol bill

Public Health Alcohol Bill faces more criticism

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

The controversial Public Health Alcohol Bill is facing fresh criticism and could now be doubt.

The Bill, which would require retailers to separate alcohol products from other food and drink, was the subject of a meeting between the Independent Alliance and Minister of State Marcella Corcoran Kennedy. The group of TDs expressed strong opposition to the Bill and told the minister that the move is “a step too far”.

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will require alcohol to be separated from other products in shops by erecting a physical barrier, through which alcohol products and advertising would not be readily visible to members of the public. Independent Minister of State, Sean Canney and Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran were at the forefront of the criticism. .Mr Canney said it would be “a retrograde step” and simply “inoperable”, while Mr Moran said the proposed laws were akin to a “nanny state”.

The Bill will be debated in the Seanad in the coming weeks and so far, fifty-two amendments to the Bill have been submitted. The passage of the Bill through to the Oireachtas is expected to be “extraordinarily slow”. Fine Gael sources said the pressure on the minister from her own backbenchers is “monumental”, although she was backed up by Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald at the party meeting.

The Public Health Alcohol Bill has been extremely controversial since its inception, especially within the retail community. If passed, the Bill would see small retailers and corner shop owners have to invest thousands of euro into their premises to build barriers to segregate alcohol products from other products.

Christmas begins Sunday with Grafton Street lights switch on

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

 

It’s Christmassssssss!

This Sunday, Christmas officially begins when the Christmas lights are switched on across Dublin city centre.

The official lighting ceremony takes place Sunday 13th at 6pm on Grafton Street. The event, which gets bigger and bigger every year, will be headlined by Hermitage Green. The band from Limerick have been around since 2010 but they became the ones to watch in 2015 when they signed with Sony Music Ireland, released marriage equality single ‘Jenny’ and played sold-out gigs around the country including a hugely successful set at Electric Picnic 2016.

The band are joined by a number of other stand out performers including the Hallelujah Gospel Choir, Jack Wise, the Swing Cats and Glenn & Ronan. Glenn and Ronan became YouTube sensation earlier in the year when their stunning cover of Adele’s ‘Hello’ went viral. The duo were then interviewed on The Ellen Show in LA and performed with Adele herself in the 3Arena.

This event is not to be missed by families and Christmas lovers and may even convince the most hardened of Grinches of the magic of Christmas.

seasonal staff

Important Skills for Seasonal Workers

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Temporary work, especially coming up to the Christmas season, can be a really exciting and fun experience. Not only can working during this busy period earn you extra cash for your Christmas presents but there are loads of other benefits such as networking, learning new skills and filling gaps in your C.V But this type of seasonal work is undoubtedly busy and will require you to have certain skills and personality traits.

Flexibility

While seasonal work offers you a lot of flexibility and control over your schedule, you also have to offer your potential employer flexibility in return. There is no point applying for positions in busy restaurants if you only want to work Friday mornings. The ability to adapt to your employers needs will get you noticed, in a good way.

Ability to work under pressure

It goes without saying that Christmas is a busy time, especially for those in hospitality and catering. The ability to work under pressure and roll with the punches will make temporary seasonal work not only easier but also far more enjoyable.

Quick learner

Again, Christmas is a hugely busy time for most in the hospitality industry. While most employers will offer temporary staff full training, the ability to pick up the basics and adapt quickly to the company’s culture and way of doing things will mean you settle into the job much quicker and be able to give it your best.

Friendly manner

Just because Christmas is a busy time doesn’t mean normal rules go out the window. Being friendly, courteous and engaged is vital in any job but especially within the hospitality industry.

Your ability to remain customer focused during particularly hectic parts of the day will definitely be noted, and appreciated, by the employers.

Positive Thinking

Although the focus at this time of year is on Christmas cheer and being merry, everybody knows it can be a stressful time. The ability to deal with issues and/or complaints without letting them affect the rest of your shift, or even your whole day will mean you will be even more successful in your temporary role.

Perfect CV

The Perfect CV by the Excel experts

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Here at Excel, we see a lot of CVs. A lot. And our team of experienced recruiters are sharing their insider knowledge on what the look for, and what they avoid, when screening CVs. In most cases, your CV is the first impression an employer has of you so make it count. The aim is to get across you have the skills and experience to get the job, and then go get the job. Presentation is key. The CV and accompanying cover letter should be tailored to the particular job you are applying for. Focus on the skills and experience relevant to that job to avoid your CV being overlong and make it stand out from the crowd.

Keeping the layout of the CV neat, clear and consistent along with correct grammar and spelling are CRUCIAL. Sarah Hurley, Buyer and Head Office recruiter, has a clear idea about what makes a good CV “Keep it simple. My ideal CV has a personal profile that sums the candidate up and describes the main objective for their career, followed by career summary, education, IT skills and the relevant interests.” Sarah also adds a small important point for jobseekers, “put CVs in Word format, not PDF as they can be difficult to format if we need to”.

However, there is no point having a great-looking CV if the content isn’t solid. Head of Fashion and Non-Food, Aislinn Lea explains her number one turn-off when it comes to CVs. “ Not too many jumps on their CV is the main thing I would be conscious of.” If you do have gaps or jumps on your CV, be prepared to explain them, both positively and honestly.

Sean Thomas, from our grocery desk and Nikki Murran, head of our Grocery department look for similar things when screening CVs. Sean says “good longevity and career progression with good company brands names, that are leaders in their markets . Nikki also stresses the importance of longevity, “ I look for strong brand progression and longevity in each role.”

Quote concrete examples of your successes in previous roles such as to support your claims. For example, “This increased profit by 2%” or “This led to a reduction in overheads from €23,000 to €17,000 per year”.

Remember, you never get a second chance at a first impression so make your C.V the best it can be and give your job search the best possible start.

National Hospitality Awards 2016

National Hospitality Awards 2016 – Winners

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

The 11th annual National Hospitality Awards took place on November 7th in The Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge Dublin. A winner in the Best Business Hotel category, The Intercontinental was host to the best hospitality businesses across the country. The National Hospitality Awards, held in association with Hospitality Ireland magazine also featured speakers David O’Hare (Bru Brewery) Daragh Anglim (Head of Marketing for Fáilte Ireland) and Declan Maxwell (Luna).

Overall Winners

  • Best Boutique Hotel – Tankardstown
  • Best Business Hotel – InterContinental Dublin
  • Best Casual Dining – The Washerwoman
  • Best Catering Job – Aramark – PWC
  • Best Catering Suppliers – General – Pallas Foods
  • Best Catering Suppliers – Specialists – Keelings
  • Best City Hotel – Hayfield Manor
  • Best Cocktail Bar – Vintage Cocktail Club
  • Best Customer Service – The Dylan
  • Best Destination Hotel – Sheen Falls Lodge
  • Best Dining Experience – Mulberry Gardens
  • Best Drinks Supplier – Diageo
  • Best Hotel Bar – Ashford Castle – The Prince of Wales Bar
  • Best Hotel Restaurant – Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites
  • Best Local Restaurant – The Twelve MacNean House
  • Best New Establishment – Farrier & Draper
  • Best Nightclub – The Wright Venue
  • Best Overall Hotel – The Europe Hotel & Resort
  • Best Overall Restaurant – Loam
  • Best Pub – Stags Head
  • Best Pub with Food – The Oarsman
  • Best Resort Hotel – Ashford Castle
  • Best Seafood Restaurant – O’Grady on the Pier
  • Best Sporting Pub – The Back Page
  • Best Traditional Pub – Toner’s
  • Best Value Hotel – Garryvoe Hotel
  • Best Wine List – The Twelve Hotel
  • Best Hotel Group – Dalata Hotel Group

 

REI Awards 2016

Retail Excellence Awards 2016 – Winners

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

The Retail Excellence Ireland Awards 2016 took place in The Radisson Blu, Co Galway on November 5th. The largest awards programme of its type, boasting over 600 total entries annually, the REI awards recognise the best in Irish retail. The awards programme is the largest event of the retail calendar and recognises the professionalism and innovation of companies, stores, websites and individuals in the retail industry. Excel Recruitment were delighted to see so many of our Grocery, Fashion and Non-Food clients recognised as finalists, as well as many winners across the category range, with our full retail team in attendance. Established in 1995, REI has over 1,620 leading retail companies who operate more than 13,000 stores in Ireland and is the largest retail industry body in Ireland.

Retail Excellence Ireland Awards 2016 – Winners

Rising of The Year – Emma Cooke – Springmount Garden Centre.

Best Website of The Year – Carroll’s Irish Gift Store.

Consumer Choice Awards – Scally SuperValu, Clonakilty.

Best Supermarket Award 2017 – Smiths SuperValu Kinsale.

National Store of The Year – Greenacres Co. Wexford.

Best Forecourt of The Year 2017 – Applegreen.

Garden/DIY Centre of The Year – Arboretum Garden Centre.

Specialist Food Store of The Year 2017 – Greenacres Co. Wexford.

Best New Website – Compu B.

Best Digital Campaign of the Year – Inglot Ireland.

Rising Star of the Year – Agata from IKEA Ireland.

Top 5 Store Status.

  • Arboretum Garden Centre.
  • Greenacres Co Wexford.
  • Kilkenny Shop.
  • Tile Style.
  • Matthew Stevens.

Supplier of The Year – StudioForty9.

Manager of The Year – Colin Curtis – Harvey Norman.

Friendliest Place – Navan, Co Meath.