Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive from people interested in registering with us. We hope you find this information useful, however, if you have any further questions, please contact us.
What type of work can you offer me?
We have a wide range of temporary, contract and permanent jobs available. The staff categories we deal with include:
Clerical Staff (all levels)
Fundraisers
DTP Operators
Accounts & Finance Staff
Administrators (all levels)
VDU Operators
Mailroom Staff
Receptionists
IT Support Staff
Customer Services Staff
Team Leaders & Supervisors
Project Co-ordinators
Secretaries (all levels)
Customer Relations Staff
Personal Assistants
Executive Assistants
Business Development Staff
Telemarketing Staff Account Managers
Website Support Staff
Telephonists
Call Centre Staff
Filing Clerks
Library Staff
Human Resources Staff
Marketing Staff
Sales Staff
General Support Staff
What type of organisations do you work with?
Our high quality selection of temporary, contract and permanent positions fall mainly in the Not-for-Profit, Education and Public Sectors, although we are sometimes asked to fill Commercial positions in the Central and North London area as well. Please check our Latest Vacancies section for a regularly updated range of jobs.
How do I move into the Not-for Profit or Public Sector?
Register with Step Ahead! Generally we are looking for transferable skills and our clients look for a wide range of skills - experience from outside their sector is often invaluable to them.
Do I need a lot of experience to temp for Step Ahead?
Not necessarily it depends on the particular assignment. Generally speaking we look for some basic office experience but our clients have a wide range of job categories requiring a wide range of skill levels.
How long do I have to be available for to become a temp for Step Ahead?
In order to register we generally look for temps to be available for at least 2 to 3 months.
How long does each Step Ahead temporary assignment last?
Our temporary assignments range from being for just a day or two to lasting for a year and beyond and sometimes becoming permanent posts.
I am a student. Can you offer me work during the holidays?
Yes we find temporary work for lots of students and they return to us each holiday.
Do you have part-time evening or weekend work?
We deal with a wide variety of positions and several of our clients ask us to find people who are available to work weekends. It is rarer that we take evening jobs however it is not unheard of
How long will it take for you to find me a job?
As soon as you register with us, we make it a priority to find you work and often we are able to offer you an assignment or job interview immediately. If this is not the case we will continue to market your skills to our clients and we will contact you immediately we hear of a suitable position. We cannot however guarantee to find you a suitable position as it depends upon the current needs of our clients.
How do I apply for one of your jobs?
You can initially register with us on this site. Please complete the registration form here.
I have applied for a job via this website. Does this mean I'm registered?
No, however by placing an initial registration on this site you will be considered for job opportunities. When we identify a suitable position for you we will contact you to discuss your application further and arrange a convenient time for you to come along to our office to complete your full registration.
Do you offer any training?
Yes. As a valuable additional benefit of registering with Step Ahead, you will qualify for free application training. The training is computer based and is conducted at our Farringdon premises.
Step Ahead training can be tailored to suit individual requirements so you can either come along and learn, for example, Excel from scratch, or you can simply take training on a specific function of an application, such as the Mail Merge function in Word its up to you.
When you attend our offices to register please ask our Consultant for further information.
How does the Step Ahead Travel and Subsistence Scheme (TAS) work?
What is the purpose of the scheme?
HMRC allows companies to pay tax-free and NI-free travel and subsistence allowances to flexible and mobile employees.
Is this scheme approved by HMRC?
Yes. This is a Revenue-approved allowance scheme we can legitimately offer because Flexible Employees are flexible in their workplace
How can I earn more take-home pay through being in this scheme?
Flexible employees can take a small reduction in gross salary (‘salary sacrifice’), and claim these allowances from their employer free of tax and NI, so that their take-home pay is higher.
Will I always be better off?
Step Ahead can offer an increase in take-home pay to almost all of its Flexible Employees, almost all of the time. The scheme is however subject to HMRC-approved rules and your eligibility will be reviewed on a weekly basis. In any given week, we will only include you in the scheme in the event that you will be financially better off.
Can I end up with less money in my pocket under the TAS scheme?
No. In the event that you would not be financially better off, we automatically exclude you from the scheme. This will be reviewed every week.
How are the calculations made?
Step Ahead has leased software which has been specifically programmed with the rules we have pre-agreed with HMRC. We will be using this software to manage the whole process. The software automatically deducts the amount allowed by the HMRC for travel and subsistence from your gross pay, ensuring that you only pay Tax and National Insurance on the balance of your pay.
How do I receive the increased payment?
Step Ahead’s new software interfaces with our existing payrolling system, Tempaid, so you will automatically receive the enhanced amount in your weekly BACS payment.
How much is the travel and subsistence allowance under this scheme?
Subsistence is a flat rate of £5 per day where the working day is longer than 5 hours. The allowance for travel is the actual amount you have spent on allowable modes of transport (e.g. tube and bus fares). It is therefore imperative that you inform us of your mode of transport each week so you can be included in this element of the scheme.
Does my rate of tax and NI change under this scheme?
No. The balance of your pay (gross pay minus TAS) is subject to Tax and NI at normal rates.
Is all of the saving paid to me?
No. Step Ahead pays you a proportion of the TAS allowance, free of Tax and NI, on top of the normal net pay. A proportion is withheld by Step Ahead to fund the costs of providing the scheme (i.e. software costs).
What do I need to do each week to be eligible for the scheme?
You need to let your consultant know how you travelled to your assignment each week. That information must be given to your Consultant before Wednesday in the following week, so, for example, for week commencing 7 December 2009, you would need to inform your Consultant of how you travelled to work that week before 16 December 2009.
You need to provide us with specific details of how you travelled, e.g. by Tube, using an Oyster Card etc.
Where the day is longer than 5 hours you must tell your Consultant whether you have incurred subsistence costs (e.g. paid for a sandwich, coffee etc).
You must keep all your travel and subsistence receipts in case they are required by HMRC.
Will Step Ahead be paying for my travel?
No – Step Ahead is not reimbursing Flexible Employees for their travel and subsistence! Flexible Employees must continue to pay for their own travel and subsistence as normal. However this scheme can save you tax and NI on your travel and subsistence costs.
What are the other benefits of becoming a flexible employee with Step Ahead?
As a flexible employee you will be entitled to a number of additional benefits, such as:
Statutory notice periods
1 additional week for each additional completed year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks’ notice for 12 completed years.
Statutory family leave benefits
Including maternity, paternity and family-friendly employment policies.
Guaranteed minimum hours
We guarantee that we will provide you with the opportunity to fulfil at least 1 day’s work per week – minimum! Please see the Step Ahead Flexible Employee Contract for exact details.
Enhanced annual leave
When you have completed 2 years’ service as an Flexible Employee with Step Ahead, you will benefit from additional annual leave for each additional completed year. The employee handbook gives full details of how this works.
I am attending an interview at Step Ahead. What do I need to bring with me?
We check all candidates identity and right to work in the UK so you need to bring along your passport or other official Home Office documentation with details of your visa if applicable. If you do not have a passport and you are an EEA Citizen, we will accept your birth certificate and a form of photo ID such as your driving licence.
You should also bring any certificates of qualifications and the contact details of at least two referees. If you are registering for temporary work, we will also need your bank details and National Insurance number.
How long will my interview last?
You should expect to be with us for around 90 minutes, although it may be for longer if we have an immediate vacancy for you in which case we will need time to discuss the details of the job and answer any questions you may have.
What is the Step Ahead interview process?
Initially we will have a discussion with you about the types of work you are seeking, your work experience and skills. This information will be recorded on our networked database which means that all our Consultants will have access to your information and you will be considered for all vacancies. It is likely that we will invite you to conduct some tests to make sure that we have a clear understanding of your skill level and to enable us to make a more accurate job match.
Additional FAQs for registered Temporaries can be found here