Career Connect (United Kingdom) Reviews
96% would recommend to a friend
(106 total reviews)
Sheila Clark
100% approve of CEO
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Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor
Found 106 of over 109 reviews
Updated 29 Nov 2023
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- 5.029 Nov 2023KEYWORKERCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearManchester, England
Pros
I applied online and was quickly responded to and invited for an interview. There was excellent communication throughout the process and the interview was actually a really enjoyable experience. The whole application process was very speedy and relatively stress-free and HR communicated very effectively to set my expectations and get me set up. There was a fantastic induction with an organised schedule and plenty of ongoing support - significantly more than I've experienced in other companies. Overall, this is a very supportive and team-driven company with plenty of scope for self-management!
Cons
It can be quite a busy and demanding job due to caseload numbers, but there is plenty of support and guidance and this can be overcome with great organisation
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2wThank you for writing such a detailed and positive 5 Star review for Career Connect. We do read over all comments people leave for us on Glassdoor and use this feedback to help identify improvements. It's also good to hear about the things people feel we do well, so we can ensure we continue to build on those things. You highlight excellent communication throughout the recruitment process and found the application process speedy stress-free. I'll pass your positive comments on to HR colleagues about their effective communication. We do take induction seriously so it's good to hear that this was well structured and organised for you. As well as the mandatory training in induction, we always try to give people some time shadowing colleagues and seeing first hand how the role is delivered. You're right to mention that it's a busy and demanding role, because this sort of job where performance targets are linked to individual caseloads, doesn't suit everybody. We give people full support to manage their caseload and it's such a rewarding job when clients move on into positive destinations. We hope that you continue to enjoy your job at Career Connect. Thanks again for your feedback on Glassdoor.
- 5.03 Nov 2023Team Support CoordinatorCurrent Employee, more than 10 yearsPreston, North West England, England
Pros
I have worked for Career Connect for 15 years and 1 month. People often ask me if I have ever been bored doing the same job for 15 years. My answer is always No. Career Connect run numerous contracts and each of them differs from one to another. This means that I have been lucky enough to support a wealth of different people over the years. I have worked in schools, I have worked with teenagers leaving school who have lost their way and need support and since 2018 I have worked with Offenders in both Prison and Community settings. This means that although I have been with the same company for such a long time I have had a wealth of different job opportunities open to me & what is better is that they have all been accessible under an employer that looks after and supports their staff. When I became a mother the company supported my part time request to accommodate my new family needs and likewise when I was ready to increase my working hours this was also supported.
Cons
The company operates across a wide area and has several offices which means that when changing positions/contracts within the company you can lose those close working relationships with past team members & I have been a part of so many great teams.
1Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response5wIt's always interesting to hear what drives and keeps people at Career Connect, thank you for sharing your experiences over the last 15 years with us. It sounds like you've certainly had a varied and interesting career, working across a range of different contracts including young people and adult offenders. I'm delighted to hear that you had a positive experience when requesting part-time hours to meet the needs of your new family. We have almost a third of our workforce doing part-time hours or adjusted working patterns, to help them achieve a better work life balance. They play a huge part in our success and it's important that we continue to recognise and value the contribution they make to the mission of the charity. I do understand your point about changing teams, which means we can lose some of those close relationships with people we love working alongside. Careers Connect is a supportive friendly place to work and people make friendships that last. Hopefully, we can all benefit from some of the improved technologies we now have in place, bringing wider teams together online, to share good practice and open up the opportunities for learning from each other. Thanks again, for taking time to write a review for Career Connect on Glassdoor. We appreciate all feedback we receive from our people and it's great to know you have rated us a 5 Star Employer!
- 5.027 Nov 2023Employment Support WorkerCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearManchester, England
Pros
As a new starter, everyone has been super helpful and has gone above and beyond to help me learn and feel a part of the team.
Cons
New to the organisation but I cannot see any cons so far
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2wHi, thanks for sharing your early experiences about Career Connect. We are delighted to read that everyone has been super helpful and gone above and beyond to help you settle in. The role of Employment Support Worker is a very rewarding job. You will have opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people, supporting them along their journey to a new path in life. We hope that you continue to enjoy your new job. Thanks again for the feedback, we do take time to read all reviews and keep up to date on how our people are feeling about their work, terms and conditions, support, etc. If you have any suggestions for things we can do better, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Regards Danielle
- 4.06 Sept 2023Careers AdviserFormer Employee, more than 10 yearsWidnes, England
Pros
Working with some of the most brilliant , friendly and dedicated colleagues over the many years. Benefits and flexibility offered by company Friendly and approachable senior management who take time to come to meetings and listen to your views. Trust given to staff. Working with variety local partner agencies and commissioners and great young people. CEO that understands company
Cons
Some of the training on certain contracts has been poor over the years and can vary from team to team. Overarching policies and procedures across all teams need flexibility to meet outcomes at certain times of year. Cannot be all size fits all approach. Pension not that good No essential car user however good fuel allowance.
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response3moHi, it's great to receive really detailed feedback like this, a huge thank you for taking the time to write about your experiences over 10+ years with the charity. You've highlighted some wonderful benefits of working for Career Connect such as the friendly and supportive culture that cuts across all levels. I'm also really grateful for the areas you've highlighted where we could do even better. You mention our training and more flexibility needed with the policies and procedures. This is something I will certainly share your full feedback report with the Senior Team today at the Quality Workforce Committee. We have already committed to reviewing the pension provision this year to see whether we can offer a better package to people, we want to give our people the very best employee benefits that we can offer. Thanks again for all your great work, commitment and dedication over many years with Career Connect. I wish you every success in your next job.
- 5.027 Nov 2023Engagement WorkerCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearManchester, England
Pros
Flexi time gives employees a lot of freedom. Everyone is really nice and supportive.
Cons
The office is next to the Heineken factory which can be a bit smelly.
- 5.01 Nov 2023Team ManagerCurrent Employee, more than 10 years
Pros
I have worked for Career Connect for roundabout 16 years now. It is a fantastic place to work. The Charity really does cares about all staff from the day you start with a comprehensive induction process and support throughout your Probationary Period. Extra support is also in place if required. There are a range of Policies and Procedures. Supplemented by a yearly staff survey and other forums for exchanging views and feedback. All designed to ensure effective communication. The Charity invests greatly in staff training and development and during my years with the Charity I have been able to progress and have been supported with appropriate training and opportunities. This has included working on various contracts and in many venues. All staff have monthly supervision and a yearly review, which looks at what you achieved in the past 12 months and what you want to achieve in the coming year. This is designed to look at what development and support you need going forward to grow you as an individual and provide you with the tools and skills needed to support all Service Users. It is a Charity that has targets, but these are designed to help and support the Clients and Participants that we work with to help them overcome their barriers and progress into a positive destination. There is help and support from Managers and Team Leaders when needed and they will go at the extra to help you. Managers are skilled and trained to support staff, and the Charity operators and open door policy. I have never been afraid to approach anyone at any level. There is Flexi Time and added bonuses such as Perkbox and birthday leave. It is a lovely place to work with great atmosphere. In my view the Charity really cares about everyone that works for them and anyone who access its services.
Cons
In my opinion - none exist
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2moThanks for taking time to write this very detailed and positive review. Your enthusiasm for the work really shines through in your feedback. I'm delighted to hear that you've had opportunity to progress through our training and development opportunities, which commence with the induction and extend through into management positions. We're always looking to recruit new talent into the charity but we never forget to invest in our own people too. Thank you for highlighting your experience of our supportive culture. We do care about the people we employ and we know that all our staff care about the people they support in local communities. Making a difference is very much a common theme that knits us all together across the charity.
- 5.06 Sept 2023Trainee Data ScientistCurrent Employee, less than 1 yearLiverpool, England
Pros
I have been working for career connect for over a month now. This platform has exceeded my expectations in terms of connecting professionals with opportunities and fostering career growth. The entire staff are very friendly and welcoming. The noteworthy aspect is the support and guidance provided by Career Connect. It's a platform that not only connects you with the right opportunities but also empowers you with the resources and connections to succeed. The management at Career Connect genuinely cares about the well-being of their employees. They are approachable and open to feedback, which fosters a positive work environment. Career Connect understands the importance of work-life balance. They offer flexible work arrangements and encourage employees to prioritise their well-being, reducing burnout and stress. I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking to advance their career.
Cons
While the platform is generally reliable, there have been a few instances of technical glitches that temporarily disrupted my work. However, these were quickly resolved.
1Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response3moThank you so much for taking time to write this wonderful review for Career Connect. I'm delighted to hear that you've had such a positive experience in your first month of employment and the team have been genuinely friendly and caring. We do care about the wellbeing of our people very much, with various support and benefits in place to help achieve a better work life balance. Throughout September we have on-site massage therapy with a professional wellbeing practitioner visiting all of our offices to help ease out any stress or knots in those shoulders and neck! If you'd like to book a session, just drop me an email as he will be in HQ on 14th Sept, feedback from these sessions is always very positive. It's frustrating when those technical glitches get in the way of our work, but I'm pleased to hear you were able to get up and running again fairly quickly. I hope that you continue to enjoy your role at Career Connect. Thanks again for your feedback, honest reports from existing staff do help illustrate to other people what it's really like to work for our charity.
- 2.08 Oct 2023Case Manager/ employment support workerFormer Employee
Pros
Flexible working and flexi time.
Cons
Unfortunately this charity prioritises targets over making a difference to vulnerable peoples lives. When working with people with convictions we are replying on people with chaotic lifestyles to show up for appointments. And when they don’t you get penalised and told you aren’t making your targets therefore you no longer have a job. Safety is also a massive issue with this charity. Other Charlie tues we worked along side had panic alarms that alerted management/emergency services etc. when I asked for more safety equipment I was given a rape alarm…
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2moI was sorry to read this feedback, as you've raised some serious concerns about staff safety which we take extremely seriously. I will pass this on to our Senior Manager who is responsible for health & safety and ensure that we look into the suggestion that you weren't provided with adequate safety equipment. We work closely with UNISON who have access to all of our risk assessments and we meet regularly with our staff H&S group, where people are able raise any issues or concerns directly with Senior Managers. We have recently offered all of our people with individual portable panic alarms, but these are not intended to replace the robust safety infrastructure in Probation Centres, where rooms are fitted out with alarm systems that are designed to keep people safe working in or visiting the building. Our partners in probation centres have well documented safety procedures which are covered during induction talks. Targets are in place to ensure we help our clients and participants to move forward and you’re absolutely right to highlight that people don’t always show up for their appointments. It can be frustrating at times for our staff to keep people on track, especially when they don’t always engage in our services straight away, but when they do, it’s a wonderful position to be able to help make such a difference to people’s lives. We never give up on people and have to keep offering support and finding new ways to engage people in the process of moving them forward. Our commissioners fund the services on a “payment by results” basis, which means if we don’t evidence the impact we are making, they can’t continue to fund the services we provide. We have to ensure that all of our staff understand how their own contribution helps to meet these overall targets, set to achieve important results for our clients and participants. I am genuinely sorry to learn that you have left Career Connect feeling this way about your job and wish you every success in your next steps.
- 5.08 Nov 2023Team ManagerCurrent Employee, more than 10 yearsLiverpool, England
Pros
Opportunity for progression. Cares about their people. Good terms and conditions. Make a difference to help people and communities. Varied and interesting role. Trusted to get on with the job. Good flexibility for work life balance.
Cons
Targets are required in most jobs here, which doesn't suit everyone.
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2wThank you for leaving us this great 5 Star Review! We appreciate the comments you've left about working for Career Connect. You have highlighted some really important aspects in your review, including the opportunities for progression and to make a difference to the lives of people in our communities. We all love the flexibility at Career Connect, it certainly helps us to manage those days when we are juggling busy competing priorities at home as well as work. You're right to raise the point about targets because it doesn't suit everyone. Our commissioners design their programmes on the basis of results, so if we have people who are not meeting their targets, it's more difficult to evidence that we're doing a great job. However, we do provide a really detailed and thorough induction process so that our new staff have time and support to "learn the ropes." We make sure people are fully trained and we hold regular reviews so that they have opportunity to ask questions and develop their skills and knowledge. Thanks again for your feedback.
- 5.020 Nov 2023Careers AdviserFormer Employee, more than 8 yearsLiverpool, England
Pros
Fabulous people who care about what they do.
Cons
I can’t think of any.
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Response2wIt's always great to receive such positive feedback from people who worked for us for a long time. You sum up perfectly when you say "Fabulous people who care about what they do" This is so true of our staff. They're here because they genuinely believe in making a difference. It's a very rewarding role. Thank you for taking time to comment on Glassdoor.
Career Connect (United Kingdom) Reviews FAQs
Career Connect (United Kingdom) has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on over 109 reviews left anonymously by employees. 96% of employees would recommend working at Career Connect (United Kingdom) to a friend and 87% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.
96% of Career Connect (United Kingdom) employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated Career Connect (United Kingdom) 4.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.7 for culture and values and 4.5 for career opportunities.
