Category Archives: Careers

Careers, Employment, HR, HR Consulting, HR Education, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Layoffs, Management, Managing in Hard Times, Networking

Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna’

Millions of Americans facing long-term joblessness may find greater success in finding a new career rather than trying to reclaim what was lost says Washington-based success coach Eva Jenkins. Jenkins, who is herself re-tooling due to the economic meltdown, suggests a path of self-reinvention modeled on the ultimate ‘quick change artist’…Madonna.

Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna'

As corporate economic belt-tightening makes the prospect of new positions in old places unlikely, Eva Jenkins urges the more than 15 million Americans who are looking for work to think like Madonna. “Madonna has remained a top pop icon for nearly three decades,” observes the Washington-based career coached. “It’s because she has consistently reinvented herself to fit changing times.”

Jenkins believes that a Madonna-like willingness to let go of the past and see new possibilities in the future is “the best antidote to a toxic employment environment.”

Leading by Example
Jenkins, herself, is a victim of the times. The founder of V.I.P. Innovations, one of Washington’s premiere resources for managing ‘human capital,’ Jenkins spent 20+ years working within corporations to facilitate effective communication from top to bottom, inside and out. But as the corporate bean counters have slashed budgets and human resources programs, she has found herself with fewer and fewer clients. “I knew I had to find a new way to ‘spin’ my skills,” she explains.

She reassessed her strengths and nimbly made the transition from working with human resources departments to simply working with humans. She offers one-on-one career coaching to the newly and long-term unemployed. She calls herself a ‘guide,’ noting that she sought out this new role not by choice, but as a by-product of the current economy.

“My new role seems to be a true calling,” she observes. “And in the process of helping others find out who they are, I have also been discovering my own path.”

Jenkins strives to build positive business relationships with her clients. “The best way I know to inspire people as their coach is to ‘walk the walk’ not just ‘talk the talk,’” she says. In this way, Jenkins serves as a role model for her clients. “I model the behaviors I want my clients to emulate such as the willingness to take risks, and a willingness to be vulnerable, authentic and open in their communication,” she explains.

Via EPR Network
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Recession Has Created Demand For Generation R Employees

Joslin Rowe has revealed that the recession has created demand among companies for a new class of employee known as Generation R, with 68% of City employers recognising Generation R as an emerging labour market force.

Generation R is a term coined to describe those professionals who were retained during the recession, escaped redundancy, worked in far leaner teams and thus progressed faster than usual as they took on the work of more senior ex-colleagues.

According to research across 571 professional bankers, lawyers and accountants in London, 70% stepped up to the more technically demanding responsibilities that redundant colleagues left behind and 81% gained more experience and a wider skill set during the recession than at any time in the boom years. Now the recession has eased, 73% believe they are performing at a level above their current job title – and want recognition and reward for their achievements.

The Generation R trend has been identified by Joslin Rowe, the UK financial services recruitment agency of the world’s second largest HR and recruitment services group, Randstad. Joslin Rowe Managing Director, Tara Ricks, said: “Filled with confidence as to their own abilities and what they can offer, Generation R has high expectations as to what their next move should be. Some initial research we’ve conducted across our banking recruitment desks shows that many assistant vice president (AVP) level candidates feel they operated at a junior vice president (VP) level during the recession and therefore will only move on to a competitor, or stay at their current firm, in return for a VP title.”

City employers are also fast becoming aware of the Generation R phenomenon. Of the 163 surveyed, 70% agree that the employees they retained in the recession are more proficient and commercially aware thanks to their experiences over the last 18 months. 59% acknowledge they have discovered future ‘stars’, who weren’t apparent before the recession forced employers to give smaller teams increased responsibilities. Over a third of organisations (37%) also stated they feel pressure to progress their existing staff to the next level (title wise) faster than would usually be the case, because of their recent track record.

Interestingly, 53% of hiring managers admitted they have a preference at CV stage towards candidates who were retained during the recession as opposed to those who were made redundant. Tara Ricks believes this has more to do with the high demand for Generation R CVs than any negative reflection on candidates who were made redundant:

“It’s not that losing your job in the recession is seen as a stigma rather that being retained during the worst economic downturn in modern history carries so much kudos. Employers only have to look internally at the people they retained to know they possess a unique set of skills, so it’s only natural to want to entice the same Generation R population from their competitors. It’s almost a form of Guerrilla warfare – as companies start to focus all their efforts on attracting and retaining the very best Generation R employees.”

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Acas Reports Increase In Those Seeking To Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

Acas, the employment relations service, has released new figures that reveal the number of businesses and employees which are trying to avoid employment tribunal claims continues to rise in recent months.

Acas Reports Increase In Those Seeking To Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

Monthly calls to the Acas helpline which, have resulted in being referred to the early conciliation service - pre-claim conciliation (PCC), have almost doubled since September. The free service aims to settle workplace issues which could escalate to an expensive tribunal.

By the end of February 2010, 8,304 PCC referrals had been made from the Acas helpline since the service was launched to accompany changes to the Employment Act in April 2009. Acas estimates that over 5,000 employment tribunal claims have been avoided already.

Rising demand for the service has resulted in a steady increase in referrals culminating in over 2,700 in the last quarter of 2009. The first quarter of 2010 is on track to exceed this figure by at least 20%. At the moment around 300 referrals are being received every week on average, and Acas expects this number to rise to about 400 during 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair said: “This data indicates that workers and employers are increasingly taking steps to avoid employment tribunals. The current economic climate has created difficult workplace challenges for managers, HR professionals and employees. The earlier issues can be sorted out, the more likely people will remain in productive employment in the workplace.

“The service is quick. Over half of all resolved cases are completed in around three weeks instead of the six to nine months that most tribunal claims take We have a responsibility to support the economic recovery by resolving workplace disputes early on and in doing so, avoiding costly, stressful and time consuming employment tribunals.”

The PCC service was launched in April 2009 alongside the new Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures following the Government’s Dispute Resolution Review in 2007.

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Joe Kiedinger Launches Program To Help People Connect Better With Co-Workers, Spouses And Children

Joe Kiedinger, founder and Brander-in-Chief of Prophit Marketing of Green Bay, believes that the number one killer of employee job satisfaction and workplace engagement is tension caused by unhealthy relationships and perpetual misunderstandings.

To help employers reduce tension and ultimately increase the level of employee satisfaction with their lives at both work and at home, Kiedinger is launching the About Me Card Program, an employee engagement system combining breakthrough communication approaches with supporting software.

The core of the About Me Card Program involves a practical personal assessment that reveals individuals’ fundamental motivations that are most essential to their happiness. With this information, human resources staff, business owners and managers can better understand what drives employees at the deepest level and can assist them with performing their jobs in a more meaningful and productive way.

Kiedinger is holding a premiere event for the launching of the About Me Card Program at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, at the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay. The event is free and open to the public and is being held in partnership with Junior Achievement. The event will include a presentation by Kiedinger, a demonstration of the software, a panel discussion, and live entertainment featuring Let’s Be Frank Productions.

Appearing on the panel will be Mark Skogen, President/CEO of Festival Foods; Dan Swift, General Manager of Dahl Automotive Group; Angela Owen, President of TBL Leadership Partners; Tom Thibodeau, Director of the Servant Leadership Program at Viterbo University; Chris Elliott, Managing Director of About Me International; and Kiedinger.

At the event, attendees will get a glimpse of two About Me Card Programs that will be released in 2011, About Me Kids and About Me Teens, as well as several technological enhancements involving social media.

According to Kiedinger, the About Me Card Program offers important benefits for employers. “When this program is applied to a business, it allows people to communicate clearly without misunderstanding, reduce conflicts, cut tension, hire right and match employees to jobs that fit their talents. In short, this tool creates a whole new level of cooperation and connection between people at work,” he says.

Kiedinger adds that “while all of these factors contribute to increased profitability, what is special with this program is that it helps employers do the right thing—make life better for their employees.” In addition, he says the program is also unique in that it helps facilitate the development of leaders across organizations.

Kiedinger says the most notable feature of the About Me Card Program is its simplicity. “I like to call it a ‘Monopoly’ property card except that instead of being about property it is about a short list of rules to help people successfully connect with one another. The software enhances the experience by allowing people to communicate effectively at the click of a mouse. No other assessment offers this level of immediacy and practicality while providing relevant individualized information,” he says.

Kiedinger says the About Me Card Program is an ideal culture-building tool that can easily become a company’s training program or be integrated into an existing training program. He also says the program can help improve employees’ personal lives by minimizing if not eliminating workplace tension that they would typically bring home with them at the end of the workday.

The About Me Card Program is already being used by a wide array of organizations, and the initial results have been very positive, according to Kiedinger. Organizations that are currently using the program include the United Way of Brown County, Festival Foods, Trig’s, Dahl Automotive, Al Huss Auto & Truck, The Selmer Company and TBL Leadership Partners. In addition, the program is scheduled to be used by a Campbell’s Soup Company plant in Texas in May.

Kiedinger notes that the About Me Card Program continues to draw inquiries from a variety of interested parties, including some organizations from China.

A white paper on the About Me Card Program is available. “How to Produce Highly Motivated and Engaged Employees in the Face of Today’s ‘What’s In It For Me? Workforce’ ” is available at www.aboutmecard.com.

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High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative Announces New Executive Director

As of February 5, 2010 The High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative has a new Executive Director, Kenneth C. Collins, Sr. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Kenneth served as the Initiative’s Green Building and Small Business Advisor.

Linda K. Jones, Co-Founder of the Initiative and its Executive Director since its launching in October, 2008, is stepping down effective February 5, 2010.

Serving as Executive Director of the High Desert Region Green Jobs Initiative has been a very rewarding experience and I take tremendous pride in what we have been able to accomplish. As I transition to my campaign for State Assembly, I will continue to work towards expanding the clean energy economy in the High Desert and the high paying new jobs that come with it” Jones said.  “I leave confident that under the leadership of Kenneth Collins Sr., the HDRGJI will continue to thrive and grow, serving our community by supporting economic and workforce development to bring green jobs to our region” she concluded.

“ I am looking forward to leading the Initiative for 2010 and beyond. Linda K. Jones’ and Co-Founder Ann Vanino’s vision to link economic and workforce development to bring green jobs to local residents has set a strong foundation for my work . Our key goals in 2010 are to bring green jobs training to the region, work with local government organizations to increase community awareness of the benefits of the growth of the region’s green economy and work with our stakeholders to develop public/private partnerships advancing energy and water efficiency and renewable energy projects in the region.” said Kenneth Collins

Kenneth Collins brings to his new role experience as a building contractor and real estate broker as well as 20 years experience as a Signal Systems Supervisor for The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Kenneth attended Alpine Elementary School in Littlerock, CA for five years. After receiving an Aerospace Avionics Certificate from Antelope Valley College, he worked at Rockwell International on the B-I Bomber. Kenneth is a resident of Lancaster, CA.

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FCA Launch New Website Addressing The Shortage Of UK Foster Carers

Foster Care Associates (FCA), the UK’s leading Independent Fostering Agency (IFA), has launched a new carer-focussed website to step up its campaign to recruit new foster carers throughout the UK.

FCA Launch New Website Addressing The Shortage Of UK Foster Carers

With a current shortage of up to 10,000 foster carers in the UK, FCA decided to enhance their online activity as part of their extended recruitment drive.

The new site provides potential foster carers with a guide to all of the considerations a foster carer may face, as well as developing into a general fostering-focussed information resource. Geo targeting has also been introduced to ensure intensive focus on the main cities across the UK.

Kevin Smith, Online Manager at FCA said: “As part of our online strategy, we’ve conducted extensive keyword research to identify what fostering-related terms people are typing into the main search engines. We want to make sure that FCA appears in the search results for all generic fostering related terminology. This website allows us to do that. It also confirms our position as a market leader in the foster care industry.”

The new website also boasts a postcode search tool so that foster carers can find their local office, a glossary of the main terminology relating to fostering children, extended detail about the different types of fostering placements and services delivered, an informative video library and an FAQ section.

“We appreciate that potential foster carers want to learn more about the local support services available in their area, and new features on the website such as the postcode search tool allows us to do that,” said Marie-Louise Allred, Marketing Manager at FCA. “We expect it to become a valuable resource in addressing the shortage of foster carers across the UK.”

Moving from a Local Authority based website (where the key focus was to promote FCA’s fostering services to Local Authorities across the UK), the website now provides a guide for potential foster carers and existing foster carers, as well as helping Local Authorities and Health Trusts to access information.

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Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

Winning a new role in today’s highly competitive job market requires a level of application that many part-qualified accountants may have thought was only required when preparing for their professional examinations.

Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

Here are a few simple tips from recruitment experts Reed Accountancy to help you take your next step in finding your next accountancy job. Know where you want to get to Only when you know where you want to get to can you work out how to get there.

Having this clarity for your career is crucial in enabling you to properly spot and evaluate the less obvious opportunities, which may not bring you an immediate big jump in salary or responsibility, but which will provide you with enhanced longer-term personal and career development opportunities.

What makes you different?

The next thing to do is work out what your Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) are.

Your USPs are those aspects of your background, achievements, skills, experience and expertise which will help you to stand out from other applicants and be of most interest and value to a prospective employer.

How to stand out

Now that you know what your USPs are, you need to decide how to market yourself so that your application immediately stands out positively from the inevitable mass of others that an employer will have received.

Make sure your CV is concise, punchy and customised with your relevant achievements, qualifications and experience. Don’t include clichéd phrases like “works well as part of a team” or “highly motivated self starter”. Instead, concentrate on showing where and how you have added value to previous employers, using specific and quantified examples.

Also, be aware that business acumen and a commercial awareness are valued in accountancy professionals just as much as they are among in other disciplines. By showing that you possess these important skills, in addition to your core accountancy qualifications and experience, you will make yourself a much more interesting candidate for any organisation looking to maximise their profit or surplus.

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What Else, Apart From Qualifications, Will Help You Climb The Career Ladder?

Having the appropriate accounting qualifications is essential as you seek to find your next accounting job, but employers take much more than proven technical aptitude into account when considering who to recruit and who to promote. And this broader approach isn’t limited to finance roles in the private sector: in the public sector and in practice too, recruiters look for a broader range of skills from applicants.

hat Else, Apart From Qualifications, Will Help You Climb The Career Ladder?

A few years ago, in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals and the subsequent introduction of the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate governance requirements, compliance and control were paramount. IAS, IFRS and technical ability were all and we were firmly within ‘The Age of the Auditor’.

The role of the accountant continues to change and evolve, and now business acumen, commercial awareness and first rate people skills have become the number one priority. At the moment, not all accountants are ready and able to face this new set of challenges…..

For almost 20 years, Robert S Kaplan of Harvard Business School has said that accountants need to “spend less time dealing with financial accounting, audit and tax”, arguing that more time should be spent on “operations, marketing strategy and behavioural and organisational issues”.

Kaplan has certainly now got his wish, as throughout 2009 Reed Accountancy and Reed Finance have been inundated with requirements from employers who specify they want candidates who “demonstrate MD or CEO potential”.

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HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

Redundancies and pay freezes were commonplace in the HR profession last year, revealed the Reed Human Resources Salary Survey 2010. Although some sectors were affected more than others, overall there was a slight fall in the UK average salary for HR professionals of 3-6%. However, early indications of increased activity in HR recruitment at the start of 2010 show organisations are gearing up to recruit again and gives some cause for optimism for the year ahead. With more signs of economic recovery now being reported, optimism among HR professionals is growing and only 39% of HR departments said they were unlikely to raise their headcount in the next 12 months.

HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

Demand for Talent Management, Recruitment, Reward and Learning & Development specialists is already increasing, as employers look to strengthen their organisations by bringing in, developing and retaining the best people to help their organisations succeed in 2010.

“2009 was a tough year for the HR profession as a whole, but the outlook for 2010 is positive and there are solid foundations upon which HR can build itself back up,” said Reed Human Resources Divisional Manager Jason Willis.

“In recruitment terms, we expect to see a swing from the Public Sector back towards the Private Sector as the year progresses. As for salaries, these should edge back up as the recovery strengthens and demand for both HR generalists and specialists increases.”

Summary of 2009

HR practitioners with niche skills sets generally came through the recession best, with Organisational Development and Compensation & Benefits specialists in most demand.

On a function level, the standing of HR in many organisations actually rose through the downturn. HR functions played an important role not only managing redundancy and the effects on those who remained, but also often worked closely to advise board directors on organisational restructuring, skills deployment and development. In most regions and industry sectors the highest paid branch of HR is Organisational Development, where the UK average salary for an OD Manager is £53,719. In-house Recruitment tends to be the lowest paid specialism, with the UK average salary for a Recruitment Manager being £34,913.

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Nearly Three Quarters of Finance Professionals Say They Will Look for A New Job In 2010

Levels of optimism are much higher than six months ago among finance professionals and their employers, according to the 2010 Reed Accountancy & Reed Finance Salary and Benefits Guide – which polled over 200,000 jobseekers and 40,000 employers in a wide range of sectors across the UK.

With 59% of employers optimistic about improving trading conditions and 71% of individuals saying they intend to look for a new finance job in 2010, retention of key finance staff will be a challenge across the public sector, private sector and also within accountancy firms this year.

Despite last year’s much-publicised pay cuts and pay freezes, the majority of finance professionals reported receiving slight pay increases (1.5 to 2.5% on average). Pay rates in the public sector rose by the most (between 2.5 and 3%). The recession created increased demand for more specialist finance roles – in particular within audit, recovery, restructuring and change management.

2010 – A year of change

Even though 43% of individuals said they felt secure within their current position, with growing levels of confidence there is likely to be a rise in the movement of finance professionals between organisations throughout 2010. The survey uncovered notable discrepancies between the perceptions of employers and employees: 71% of employers said they believed their employees were loyal to their organisation. Meanwhile, while only 25% of employees felt that they are rewarded adequately in their current role – suggesting that pay rates will become an increasingly important factor in a ‘war for talent retention’ in the coming year. Financial analysis, financial risk management and compliance will continue to be key skills in demand during 2010, while aspiring jobseekers will be attracted to perceived fast-growth sectors such as energy (from nuclear to renewables), digital technology and online media.

Reed Finance Director Tim Vye commented: “With the UK emerging steadily out of recession and a general election before the summer, 2010 may be an uncertain year for some employers. However, recruiting and retaining the best finance talent will be a priority as the job market moves away from being employer-driven. “2010 will also mean fresh changes for finance professionals in all market sectors. 64% of respondents in our survey said the role of the accountant has changed significantly over recent years, with a far greater need for people skills, strategic thinking and commercial acumen.”

Recruitment within Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has shown encouraging increases recently. Many employers are increasingly looking for finance professionals with ‘future boardroom potential’.

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Making Workers’ Comp Work Conference To Be Catalyst for Fixing Broken California System

Five years post-S.B. 899, this conference on March 11-12 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis will bring disparate players together to start fixing a broken workers’ comp system in California.

Making Workers' Comp Work Conference To Be Catalyst for Fixing Broken California System

The Making Workers’ Comp Work Conference is FREE for employers, HR managers and claims professionals. Lawyers and doctors may attend for a fee of $495.

SAN FRANCISCO –February 17, 2010 — The inaugural Making Workers’ Comp Work Conference (www.makingworkerscompwork.com) will bring together leading employers and top industry experts in law, medicine and insurance to find solutions that will make workers comp work for all. The conference is designed for employers, claims professionals, lawyers, doctors, human resource professionals, risk managers, and anyone whose work involves California workers’ compensation. It will take place at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis on March 11-12.

The Making Workers’ Comp Work Conference features industry leaders including the United States Marine Corps, Virgin America, University of California, Salesforce.com, Los Angeles County, Willis Insurance, City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, Santa Clara County, Stanislaus County, Work Comp Central, and leading physicians, attorneys, insurance professionals, and claims representatives including Dr. Nortin Hadler, Dr. Bob Barth, Dr. Alan Colledge (Medical Director of Utah Work Comp), Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Barbara Krantz, Dr. Mel Pohl, Dr. John Alchemy, Zachary Sacks, Esq., Phil Walker, Esq., Ben Pugh, Esq., Jake Jacobsmeyer, Esq., Kevin Shaw, Esq., David Cohen, Esq., Ron Garrity, Esq., Littler Mendelson, Jerry Fogel (architect of the Florida worker’s comp reforms), Cheryl Morosini, Dave Chetcuti, Angela Livingston, Annette Lindley, Diane Cohen, Debra Hinz, First Comp, CCMSI, Sedgwick CMS, and Travelers Insurance.

“We are partnering with leaders in the workers comp industry to start fixing a broken system and champion reforms that benefit all parties in the system,” said Phil Neal Walker, conference organizer and workers’ comp attorney at The Phil Neal Walker Law Firm (www.philnealwalkerlaw.com) “We are convening the first-ever workers’ comp community conference that brings together all the players to share ideas and best practices to help create a system that operates with maximum justice, effectiveness and – most of all — integrity.”

Delivering on the many meanings of integrity – steadfast adherence to an ethical code, consistency of actions and outcomes, and systemic reliability – will act as a compass for the conference. In over 30 events and breakout sessions (http://bit.ly/bkYlKA), attendees will learn immediately applicable lessons from top experts in the workers comp field (http://bit.ly/9faO7q), share best practices, and discover and share win-win scenarios that work for both companies and employees.

“A highlight of the conference will be a closing session where – as a group – we will determine a list of priorities necessary to fix the system,” said Walker.“After the conference closes, we will be taking these priorities straight to the Governor and Legislature in Sacramento.”

A highlight of the conference will be the first annual Integrity Awards for Achievements in Workers’ Compensation. Winners of the awards will include employers, lawyers, medical and insurance experts who have contributed to making improvements to the workers comp system. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held the evening of Thursday, March 11.

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Acas Urges Businesses To Improve Employee Engagement

Acas, the employment relations service, is encouraging UK businesses to prepare for the potential economic up-turn by focusing on employee engagement.

In its new discussion paper Acas highlights the simple procedures that can increase employee engagement in the workplace, to improve staff retention, increase morale and encourage greater productivity.

It also indicates that there is a good case for focusing on employee engagement as a business priority. Employees who are committed to their work are much more likely to behave in a positive, cooperative way. Engagement is therefore a benefit to both employees and the business.

Ed Sweeney Acas Chair said: “The recession means that a lot of businesses have experienced a challenging period. Inevitably, this has had a knock-on effect on employees and morale. As we approach what might be the beginning of the end of the downturn, business leaders and managers have a responsibility to encourage an open business culture.

“There is plenty of evidence which suggests strong employee engagement can help boost the bottom line. Our advice to businesses is that by engaging properly with staff, organisations will put themselves in a better position to emerge from the recession in a healthy position.”

The discussion paper also highlights the important role played by line managers but argues that they should not work in isolation. It also suggests that to be effective, they need good teams around them and senior managers who support the same values and demonstrate the same kind of behaviours. These include open communication, regular positive feedback and an emphasis on personal skills and development.

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Joslin Rowe Reveals Annual Scottish Financial Services Prospect Survey Results

Joslin Rowe has revealed the results of its annual survey covering employment prospects for the financial services sector in Scotland. These latest figures show that more than half (52%) of Scotland’s financial service firms which responded to the labour market survey intended to increase their headcount in 2010 by up to 10%.

The 68 financial institutions, employing over 17,000 people in Scotland between them, contributed to research during November & December 2009, designed to gauge perceptions amongst some of the most influential employers in the sector. The majority of firms (73%) described their company’s overall level of business confidence for 2010 as ‘optimistic’ or ‘very optimistic’ whilst 24% had neutral feelings about the future. Importantly, just 3% were pessimistic (compared with 19% pre-credit crunch).

The annual study, which has run since the Millennium, was conducted by Joslin Rowe Scotland, the financial services recruitment specialist and supported by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Financial Enterprise.

Margaret Dyer, director, Joslin Rowe Scotland pointed out: “As recruiters for the financial services sector, we received a first hand insight into the fall out that followed first the credit crunch, and then the official recession. At one point, as our research reveals, job volumes in Scotland’s financial services sector were an incredible 93% down on 2008 levels*. Whilst there’s no doubt that there are now far more job opportunities in the market as we head into 2010, job seeker movement amongst talented professionals remains muted. People are adopting a ‘better the devil you know’ career plan through fear of a double dip recession. The recession hangover means even firms with strong employer brands are struggling to entice the best recruits from their competitors.”

Jim Watson, senior director, Financial Services, Scottish Enterprise said: “Regardless of the short-term impacts of the current economic conditions, the industry requires a dynamic and skilled workforce that can support the transition currently taking place within the industry and ensure Scotland is well placed to capitalise on new opportunities when they emerge. The newly formed financial services Skills Gateway is an excellent example of the type of initiative that we all need to support if we are to develop this highly skilled workforce for the future. This type of collaborative approach is vital if we are to ensure Scotland can retain its international stature as one of the leading financial services locations in the world.”

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Reed Personnel Services Qatar LLC Celebrates 24 Months Of Trading In The Qatar Financial Centre

Reed Personnel Services Qatar LLC is celebrating 24 months of trading in the Qatar Financial Centre and continues its “Business Seminar Programme – Mujtama”

Reed Personnel Services Qatar LLC Celebrates 24 Months Of Trading In The Qatar Financial Centre

Reed have been very pleased to work with businesses in Qatar, and would like to give some further added value back, as a key part of the business community that has contributed to their growth in Doha. Starting in February and throughout 2010 Reed will be running regular business seminars – at no cost to attendees – providing relevant information to help senior managers and HR professionals in business make the most of their human resources. The feedback f r o m the first Seminar was very positive with 67 attendees f r o m local businesses in attendance.

What you will gain…
1) Best practice HR, a global perspective – Would you like to benchmark what you do against the practices of other leading global organisations? This presentation f r o m an HR expert and Employment Lawyer with experience in the USA and Europe, will help you understand why you should have an HR Process and how to ensure it will be effective.

2) Best Practice HR, a local perspective – How do you ensure your practice is better than your local competition for talent? A leading local HR consulting expert with years of experience in Qatar and the Middle East will discuss how to take the best practice ideals and make sure they fit within the Middle East environment.

3) Talent Based Interviewing – Do you struggle to select the right people? This session will focus on tips and techniques to ensure your selection process is as thorough as possible.

4) Managing your recruitment agent – Are you getting too many unsolicited calls to your HR team and hiring managers? Do you struggle to know who you need to use for recruiting? Do you have a PSL, could you have a managed agent to save you time and negotiate lower rates for you? This session will ensure you maximise the returns f r o m your investment in external recruitment agents.

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Reed Abu Dhabi Is Selected As A UK Trade & Investment Successful Business

Reed Abu Dhabi has been selected as a UK Trade & Investment successful business and Maria Brown has been working with UK T&I to help support Foreign Trade and Investment.

Reed Abu Dhabi Is Selected As A UK Trade & Investment Successful Business

Maria Brown, MENA Associate Director f r o m Reed Abu Dhabi has recently been approached by the Government’s UK Trade & Investment team, having been identified as a successful UK business undertaking global expansion. After seeing the work Reed had done in the UAE over the last 12 months, UK T&I have been speaking with Maria about how to set up in business in the country and the importance of working with UK T&I during the early days and beyond.

Maria was asked to comment due to her pivotal all round role within Reed – a major recruitment specialist and hr consulting professionals, Reed’s international expansion over last 3 years has see us grown through Europe, the Middle East a nd Asia Pacific.

Maria has been instrumental in various capacities for all Reed’s International locations and is highly valued for her entrepreneurial business expertise, this combined with the award winner success Reed has created positioned her as a lynchpin of middle east life and business – and so her opinions and expertise were sought after.

UK T & I have now produced a DVD highlighting the pros and cons of UAE business start ups and the benefits of working together to help those new to the market, especially in the early stages.

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‘No Strings’ Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

With more than 80% of training budgets cut or frozen, Reed Finance has teamed up with one of the country’s leading learning providers to offer a free training course to employers that recruit a new, qualified-level finance professional on a permanent basis.

'No Strings' Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

With many of Reed Learning’s courses accredited by ACCA and CIMA, the free training can count towards the attendee’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. There are no strings – any one, two or three-day course is free – and the training can be attended by either the new recruit or the hiring manager. “By partnering with an established learning provider and offering free personal and professional development training courses, including 50 different CIMA Master Courses, Reed Finance is helping organisations to make their HR & Training budgets go even further,” commented Reed Finance Director Tim Vye.”Bringing in a new, senior-level finance professional is a significant investment for any organisation. In an uncertain economic climate, our offer of free training helps this investment deliver even greater return.”

About Reed Finance
Reed Finance specialises in the recruitment of senior and executive-level finance professionals, both permanent and interim, across all industry sectors. Through a national network of branches, Reed Finance provides tailored recruitment solutions based upon individual client requirements and an impressive resource when it comes to finding financial services jobs.

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CV Trumpet Pioneers Brand New Way To Hone And Enhance Job-Winning CVs

CV Trumpet has unveiled the UK’s first money-back-guaranteed executive CV writing kit for under £50

The new CV Trumpet CV Kit draws on new research and insight from recruitment insiders and professional CV writers revealing just the right balance of information and content to gain interviews.

CV Trumpet marketing director Robert Odhams is so confident of the interview-winning power of the new Executive CV Writing Kit he’s offering a full money-back guarantee for anyone who isn’t completely satisfied with the results after 57 days.

Robert said, “Job vacancies are down by around 52% year-on-year. So CVs are more important than ever in getting job seekers to that all important first interview.”

“There are hundreds of books and websites on CV writing. But wading through them all can be a daunting task. Our new CV Kit distils CV writing know-how from hundreds of sources and industry experts and presents in a convenient, logical and powerful new format.”

The CV Trumpet Kit has been structured to make it as simple as possible to quickly produce a high-class executive CV.

The step-by-step process is in plain English with clear, easy to follow information and examples for every section of the CV. In addition to clear, step-by-step help with the contents of the executive CV, there is included a selection of executive CV templates. It also incorporates all the features of the most effective CVs including the use of evidence, keywords and logical organisation and it guards against some of the most common errors such as poor phrases, pronouns and failure to proof read.

Robert added, “CV Trumpet has more than 172,000 users and their feedback has been crucial in shaping this new service. More than 87% still write their own CVs. Some simply update versions of CVs written years ago. Of the job seekers using professional writers for help – some are paying upwards of £500, maybe more.”

“We believe the CV writing Kit will revolutionise the way people construct their CVs. It will give job seekers throughout the country the supreme confidence that each time they apply for a job they have given themselves the very best chance of success.”

The new CV Trumpet Executive CV Kit is available for a limited launch price of£49.50 and users who enhance their current CV or create a new one who are not completely satisfied after 57 days can claim their money back.

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Construction Sector Seeking Flexible Freelancers

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, has reported that the construction sector is seeking flexible freelancers with a first-rate career history and experience in the public sector.

Ongoing investment in the public sector has generated a demand for experienced individuals to work on a range of refurbishment, rebuild and extension projects, including local authority buildings, hospital renovation projects and the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Social housing is another area that has remained resilient.

“Site managers with Decent Homes or Responsive Repairs experience working with contractors on behalf of housing associations, councils and schools are sought after,” said Tony Keel, Regional Manager at Hays Construction.

On the commercial side, the demand for estimators, bid managers and business development managers has also remained steady, as many contractors are preparing their bids for future project work.

“There is a demand for pre-contract and tendering expertise as well as estimating and bid management skills in the current marketplace”, continued Keel.

A visible trend in the market is how the way in which the role of the temporary and interim workforce has evolved, due to the flexibility they offer an employer.

“Temporary roles are more in demand than permanent positions and we are seeing an increase in registered temp to perm jobs,” continued Keel. “Candidates need to remember that the temporary option offers them a foot in the door and those with strong CVs will be in a great position to benefit when the market recovers.”

There is still activity in the residential market, particularly in the larger cities, with affordable housing and shared ownership through house builders’ refurbishment activity providing constant project work. The demand for trades and labouring jobs has remained steady overall, although the average length of a contract has been reduced.

“Contractors working on these developments are still busy and this has fuelled demand for quality trades in this area. There are also excellent opportunities for companies with strong cash flow to upgrade properties now and resell when prices rise again,” added Keel.

Employers can afford to be more selective as to the calibre of applicants they recruit and the specific requirements needed given the volume of experienced site staff in the marketplace.

“Candidates need to focus on their CV’s, clearly outlining how their skills differentiate f r o m others and also concentrate on their interview technique – creating a positive first impression is critical,” concluded Keel.

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Acas Helps Businesses Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

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Acas, the employment relations service, has revealed it has helped businesses avoid more than 2000 employment tribunal claims in just seven months since the introduction of the Pre-Claim Conciliation (PCC) service. Due to its overwhelming success, Acas recently expanded the service to include all major types of workplace issues.

The PCC service aims to save businesses time, money and stress by tackling workplace issues early to prevent costly and stressful employment tribunals. On average employers spent just over three days using the PCC service, compared to nearly 14 days on a claim which escalates to an employment tribunal hearing.

Since the introduction of PCC, Acas has handled 3500 PCC referrals from the Acas helpline and 70 per cent of these were resolved without going to an employment tribunal. In fact, even when the PCC service was not able to settle a workplace dispute, only four in ten referrals progressed into a claim by the end of August.

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chairman, said: “It’s reassuring that Acas’ PCC service has already helped businesses save a great deal of money – particularly in this economic climate.

“Furthermore, the new Code of Practice should also help encourage better communication and relationships, ultimately making businesses and employees happier and more productive.

“Over time, as managers, HR professionals and employees become further accustomed to resolving workplace disputes internally, savings will be even more significant.”

In addition to the expansion of the PCC service, Acas has also expanded its helpline to ensure impartial information on employment relations issues is more readily available to employers and employees.

The PCC service was launched in April 2009 alongside the new Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures following the Government’s Dispute Resolution Review in 2007. There are also a number of workplace training courses, which aim to help businesses manage conflict in the workplace and update on employment law.

About Acas:
Acas’ aim is to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations. It provides information, advice, training and a range of services working with employers and employees to prevent or resolve problems and improve performance. It is an independent statutory body governed by a Council consisting of the Acas Chair and employer, trade union and independent members.

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Christmas Party Blues for Britain’s Small Businesses

It’s been a tough year for Britain’s small businesses, but even with the end in sight, hardworking business owners and staff are not in the mood to party. Almost half of SMEs (42%) are not going to have a Christmas party and 46% will not be paying any bonuses, according to new research from uSwitchforbusiness.com, the dedicated SME price comparison and switching service.

80% of SMEs have found 2009 to be a tough year. As the impact of the recession took its toll, 58% of business owners were forced to find ways to cut costs and only a third (33%) were able to leave staff perks unscathed. And it seems that 2009 is going to end on the same sombre note, with business owners keeping a tight lid on celebrations and bonuses so that they can continue to balance the books.

Staff may be disappointed, but in the longer term there should be much better news. 43% of small businesses can see some signs of economic recovery. As these greenshoots strengthen jobs should become more secure, companies will be able to ease back on cost cutting and hopefully be in a position to start rewarding loyal workers again.

Jake Ridge, SME expert at uSwitchforBusiness.com, says: “2009 has been a difficult year for SMEs so it’s not surprising that many feel forced to pull the plug on the traditional Christmas party and end of year bonuses. These are difficult decisions to make and could have an impact on staff morale and loyalty. For those employees hit by the double whammy it’s going to feel like a real damp squib of a Christmas.

“Things are looking up for next year though with 43% of companies saying they can see some signs of recovery. However, it’s early days so it remains vitally important that they continue to keep a tight lid on essential running costs. One very easy step is to cut down on the amount they are spending on energy by making sure they are paying the lowest possible price and by cutting down on the amount they use. By getting independent information and support in switching to a cheaper supplier, SME owners could save up to 70% on their energy bills.”

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