Category Archives: Employment

Reed Researched On How Organizations And Employees Have Reacted To The Current Recession

If you have ever wondered about how organizations and employees have reacted to the current recession and how this compares to responses to the previous recession, then Reed has the answers you are looking for. In fact, Reed has taken it one step further to include information about what we can look to predict in terms of the new challenges and opportunities people challenge, from these reactions.

Reed have undertaken a comprehensive study which benchmarks a new survey of over 600 organisations – representing all sectors, sizes and locations – against research completed in Spring 1992, in the depths of the last UK recession.

The results are fascinating. They reveal that a sea-change has taken place. Yes, employers across the country are making recession-fuelled redundancies, but today this is only one part of their response. Organisations from Corus to KPMG are dramatically flexing worker terms and conditions, including benefits, hours and pay, thereby reducing costs while retainingstaff.

In 1992 a culture of partnership between workers and bosses was the exception. Now, a spirit of informed co-operation is widespread and this has enabled a far more flexible response to this downturn. This bodes well for a swift resurgence when the upturn comes.

The study reveals just how much this recession has strengthened the role of HR professionals, accelerating their move to the strategic centre of organisations as they implement and lead their employers’ responses to the downturn. Yet in spite of this, a key finding of this research is the prediction that skills shortages will be an even greater threat to recovery this time than in the aftermath of 1992.

Employers tell us that as soon as the upturn comes they will recruit to replace the staff that they have cut. This applies to all roles, across all levels. However, skilled staff are the only category where things are noticeably different. Organisations plan to recruit considerably more skilled staff once recovery begins than they have cut in the downturn.

This suggests that the UK’s recovery faces a very real threat from growing skills shortages. The problem will become even more acute as post-recession Britain moves further towards becoming a high-skill economy.

This issue demands attention from both business and government, as it will not resolve itself. A key national priority must be to re-tool and re-skill the workforce, to keep Britain working.

Via EPR Network
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Acute Shortages Across UK Nursing Sector

Hays, the world’s leading recruitment experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, has reported that the acute shortages felt across the nursing sector in the UK has led to demand for professional staff from overseas.

The most affected areas for nursing jobs are in critical care (ITU), A&E, theatre, intensive care (ICU) and accident and emergency medicine nurses, with skill shortages also apparent for obstetrician and gynaecologist, orthopaedic, anaesthetic and recovery nurses.

“The available talent from abroad throws an important lifeline to the UK given the pressing need for skilled nurses. Around 10% of nurses working in the UK have trained abroad and the shortage of skills can only be adequately filled by targeted international recruitment,” commented Simon Hudson, Director of Hays Global Resourcing at Hays Healthcare.

A combination of more effective utilisation and retention of skilled nurses, increased emphasis on training new nurses and, in the short term, increased international recruitment, would seem to provide the optimal solution to the nursing jobs crisis.

“While most of our temporary and permanent recruitment is carried out locally, the demand for certain skills has outstripped supply. It is therefore our responsibility to help clients attract these key professionals from outside their local market,” stressed Hudson.

An international presence in 28 countries enables Hays to reach and target this extended pool of nursing professionals. “Our office network means we can source candidates from abroad and assist UK employers in finding correctly qualified nursing staff to meet their requirements,” added Hudson.

Hays Healthcare has now added a comprehensive project methodology programme, LOCATE, to its portfolio to provide further support to employers via its global network.

“This gives employers extra confidence to partner with us to fill the gaps in their workforce,” explained Hudson. “The new methodology, within an international recruitment context, helps our clients through the process – it is innovative and comprehensive, detailing exactly how each project will be handled to ensure that it is a success every time.”

The problems facing the nursing sector in the UK are further compounded by an ageing domestic workforce – around 60% of the worker population is due to retire over the next decade. However, the shortage of nurses is not just limited to the UK with demand outstripping supply across the world, which in turn fuels a cyclical international movement of labour in the nursing profession. Many UK nurses are leaving to go and work abroad, to destinations such as Canada, Australia, the Middle East and the United States. Hudson explained: “Clearly, lifestyle and financial reasons rather than an inability to find a job in the UK are two of the key motivators.”

Hays has also launched the Hays Healthclub, which supports existing and new workers. It provides new Hays members and those who refer others for roles, which are suffering from skill shortages with a £250 Healthclub bonus.

Via EPR Network
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Resume Wizard & Services Is Now Career Wizards Inc.

Career Wizards Inc. (formerly A Resume Wizard & Services) has announced a new business name and expanded service offerings in responding to opportunities created by the current economic condition and an increasing demand for quality career services.

To support its rebranding and expanded services, the company has launched a new Web site at www.careerwizardsinc.com.

A Resume Wizard & Services was founded in 1998 by current President and CEO, Deanne Arnath, who will continue in this role with Career Wizards. “Our rebranding is the culmination of the ongoing, extensive feedback we’ve received from career professionals and job seekers interested in a comprehensive suite of services intrinsically designed to meet their diverse needs,” Arnath says.

According to Arnath, the expanded service offerings available from Career Wizards include resume writing, individual career assessments, career coaching and webinars, social networking instruction and assistance, professional network development, and recruiter introduction services.

Arnath adds that the company’s services are easily accessible via the Web. “We have made all of our services available online to offer greater convenience to busy job seekers and career professionals.”

“One of our goals in rebranding the company is to bring some credibility back to our industry with regard to upfront pricing and customer service. We recognized an urgent need to raise the bar with responsive, personalized service, because many individuals unfortunately encounter frustrating obstacles when trying to advance their careers due to a lack of expertise and professionalism from service providers,” she says.

Arnath says the company’s new service offerings will enable it to maintain a distinct position in the career services industry. “With our newly developed image and expanded business operations, we are in a prime position to provide customers with a unique and comprehensive set of services delivered by a staff of highly experienced career experts.”

Arnath and her team of career experts collectively hold a number of industry certifications, which include the Certified Professional Resume Writer, Nationally Certified Resume Writer, Certified Federal Resume Writer, Certified Advanced Resume Writer, and Certified Career Management Coach.

Arnath is a contributing author for a number of career-related books and publications and has been published in Resumes for the Rest of Us: Secrets from the Pros for Job Seekers with Unconventional Career Paths, Directory of Professional Resume Writers: How to Find and Work with a Pro to Accelerate Your Job Search, and No-Nonsense Job Interviews: How to Impress Prospective Employers and Ace Any Interview.

Arnath also lectures at colleges and universities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and participates in job seeker education programs with organizations such as the Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas at Dallas and Women for Hire Job Fairs.

Via EPR Network
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New International Recruitment and Jobsearch Website

Leading recruiter Reed Specialist Recruitment has launched a sophisticated but simple to use global website to help organisations and jobseekers quickly and easily find the right talent or role in 12 different countries – the UK, Australia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Qatar, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Developed at a cost of approximately £250,000 in association with Golley Slater Digital, www.reedglobal.com has four local language versions – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland – twitter and RSS feed options, salary guides, reports and recruitment case studies, as well as useful talent finder and send us a vacancy functions.

Reed Specialist Recruitment marketing director Mark Milner explains the thinking behind this significant investment in the online recruitment space: “With the internet now an essential part of so many people’s working and leisure lives around the world, we wanted to make our recruitment expertise and experience readily available locally to employers looking to bring in the best local talent, and jobseekers in search of the right opportunity.

“By integrating the service offerings of Reed Consulting and Reed Learning into www.reedglobal.com, candidates and clients alike can use the site as a one-stop shop for recruitment and HR consulting.”

In the UK, the site has been carefully integrated with www.reed.co.uk – the UK’s largest jobsite – which contains easily searchable details of 100,00 live vacancies and approximately two million jobseekers, and regularly receives in excess of 1.5 million job applications each month.

Looking ahead, Reed are looking at the possibility of developing a mobile platform, as well as enabling greater interaction with consultants live on the site through functions such as instant messenger and live chat.

About Reed Specialist Recruitment:
Founded in 1960, Reed is a specialist provider of permanent, contract, temporary and outsourced recruitment solutions, as well as IT and HR consulting.

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Joslin Rowe Reports On Banking And Investment Employment In Scotland

Joslin Rowe has revealed new research conducted over a six-month period from March 2009 that shows signs that financial services companies are now finding it difficult to attract new staff to vital business areas, with some teams operating too leanly for any business up tick.

Data collected on recent job offers by Scottish financial services recruitment specialists, Joslin Rowe, shows a clear pattern of hot and cold spots emerging from the pay packets involved. Salaries for new joiners within banking operations have remained steady following the introduction of internal pay freezes whilst entry level roles have ground to a halt, with applicants at this level struggling to even gain a foothold via temporary work.

However, the corporate actions talent pool remains limited and this has exerted an inflationary pressure on salaries. For example, at the start of the year, the top range a corporate actions analyst could expect was £28,000, while today this is closer to £30,000. Team leaders could now secure up to £40,000, a big jump on the£35,000 ceiling that was in place in March.

“It’s important to understand that our research is based on the salaries professionals receive when they secure a new job rather than annual salary reviews for existing employers,” explains Margaret Dyer, Director of Joslin Rowe’s Scotland offices. “Whilst there’s an enormous amount of debate about remuneration in the financial services sector, moving jobs almost always carries a premium – especially if the skills required are in short supply and a prospective employee is working at a competitor. Indeed, many talented professionals would simply remain in their current company without this incentive. Fresh ideas are crucial to drive businesses forward through this recession so it’s imperative to attract the best staff.”

According to the Joslin Rowe research, business change professionals have been in huge demand in the investment management world, though salaries for permanent hires have remained steady since 2008. On the temporary side, however, average hourly contract rates are rapidly increasing (in some cases by over 13%) from £15.09 six months ago to £17.36 an hour now.

Dyer added: “Certainly, project driven roles are attracting higher rates of pay as firms work to effect real change for the future.”

Joslin Rowe recruits for financial services jobs in Scotland, including jobs in Edinburgh and jobs in Glasgow. The salary survey analysed salaries and rates of pay attached to job offers and vacancies comparing Sep08-Mar09 with Mar09-Sep09.

Via EPR Network
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Acas Urges UK Businesses To Tackle Mental Health In The Downturn

Acas, the employment relations service, is encouraging UK businesses and managers to prepare for the longer term effects of the recession and implement policies and procedures to help cope with mental health issues in the workplace.

In a recently published policy discussion paper, Acas looks at some of the lessons that can be learnt from tackling workplace stress. It advises business and managers to look at how they can anticipate and identify mental health problems in the workplace and what steps should be taken to respond to them.

Figures show that mental health problems cost UK organisations around £26 billion each year*. The latest figures also reveal that the total number of unemployed has now reached 2.47 million**, which could have a further adverse impact on employees’ wellbeing.

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chairman, said: “The economy may hopefully have seen the worst of the recession but the impact on workplaces will be felt far into the future.

“Implementing procedures to effectively deal with mental health issues in the workplace has strong benefits for individuals and organisations. Early intervention can play a critical part in reducing the problem of ill health at work and this ‘prevention over cure’ approach will ultimately help businesses and employees save time, stress and money.”

Measuring the impact of the recession on employees’ mental wellbeing can be difficult as the stigma associated with mental health creates barriers to measuring the true extent of the problem.

Acas is urging organisations and managers to implement effective policies and procedures to help managers deal with the long term impacts of the downturn and safeguard the health and wellbeing of employees. This might include:

- workplace training – to raise awareness of stress and
mental health so that line managers, in particular, can tell if an employee is
suffering from additional or excessive pressures

– Good interpersonal skills – to help nurture trusting relationships with staff who
may be anxious about disclosing their mental health problems

– A supportive organisational structure – that guides managers by providing clear
policies and procedures for managing mental health

Via EPR Network
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Recruiting Private Sector Talent Is Now A Priority For Public Sector

Hays Public Services has revealed the results of a new survey which shows that more than 80% of public sector organisations believe skills shortages in their organisation would be best filled by private sector workers.

Employers based across public services divisions including education, central and local government, housing, the NHS, charities and not for profit organisations stressed concern about the lack of commercial talent. 47% of respondents also said there are widespread skill shortages generally and this needs to be addressed in order for quality services to be delivered.

Concerns expressed by respondents identified shortages in management skills (54%) and indicated that the most valuable attributes a private sector candidate can bring to the public sector is commercial expertise (61%) and creativity (17%). Other attributes include a different drive and ethic.

The time to move to the public sector may be now, with 63% of employers confirming they have noticed an upturn in applications. Significantly 86% believe this increase is beneficial with job candidates bringing a diverse range of skills experience and willingness to adapt to new methods.

Andy Robling, Director at Hays Public Services, said: “The recession has forced people to re-evaluate their perception of a job in the public sector and they have come to realise that it offers comparable pay, generous benefits and a challenging, yet rewarding, environment. At the same time, many public sector organisations are undergoing a period of change and commercial expertise is highly valued to manage this process and drive efficiencies. Employers need to make sure they are tapping into this pool of talent. Jobseekers with a commercial background have never been more available or more willing to make the move.”

Although almost two-fifths of public sector employers are adamant that the recession has enabled access to a pool of talent that may otherwise not have been on offer, there is also the concern that once the economy picks up many of the new workers will leave and go back to previous private sector employment, once again leaving a dearth of skills.

About Hays Public Services:
Hays Public Services is part of Hays plc and specialises in public sector jobs including social housing jobs and a range of jobs in education.

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Business Development Paving The Way To Successful Sales Growth

Hays Sales has revealed that the recession has underscored a shift in emphasis toward business development, as organisations seek to increase sales and grow market share.

Business Development Paving The Way To Successful Sales Growth

“The demand for business development managers has remained buoyant, particularly in the service sector, in industries such as IT and utilities, but there are also opportunities in the facilities management side of construction,” commented Kevin Dunbar, National Sales Director at Hays Sales.

A track record of business development is a highly prized asset in the current marketplace and this is reflected in the salaries and benefits on offer for the right individual. The need to develop and win new business, over and above the management of an existing client base, has led to a steady demand for sales professionals who can make a real difference to their company’s bottom line.

“Organisations are looking for experienced business development managers, with the skills to bring in new clients and generate much-needed cash,” continued Dunbar.

For those looking for business development jobs, it is imperative that CVs are tailored to each role and include all relevant competencies. “Individuals need to draw out the experience they have, make it specific to the role in question and demonstrate that they have the skills to meet the organisation’s requirements. Quantifying achievements is very important, as employers want to see evidence of revenue streams,” Dunbar explained. “Employers are looking for a blend of strong commercial and interpersonal skills and are seeking evidence of how individuals handled themselves in certain situations and how capable they are of interacting with colleagues to achieve desired outcomes.”

One of the fundamental issues for employers is to attract the right calibre of candidate for their business development jobs, given that many jobseekers are cautious to move in the current market. With job security the most important consideration for employees, organisations need to find innovative recruitment solutions and delivering a strong sales message is a key lynchpin to a successful recruitment strategy. Establishing a thorough recruitment process is central to this and will also have a positive ‘knock on’ effect to reduce staff turnover. The use of online advertising has become a focal element behind any successful recruitment strategy. “There are a whole host of solutions, including bespoke campaign sites, SMS messaging and video content, to promote both the organisation and its roles,” stated Dunbar.

The sales industry continues to be blighted by high levels of staff turnover, particularly in the utilities sector, which serves to reinforce the need to focus on employee retention. Although investment in training and development is an important way of engaging with any workforce the current climate has not facilitated this, as companies struggle to generate sales.

“Training tends to take a back seat during a recession and is one of the first areas to be affected by spending cuts. That said, jobseekers place great value on career development and so employers need to strike the right balance if they are to retain their best sales teams,” concluded Dunbar.

Hays Sales is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of sales jobs from telesales jobs to sales director jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As of 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Rise In Number Of Teaching Applications, Report Says

A recent Hays Education survey has shown that more than a fifth of teachers believe the increase in teaching applications is positive, because the so-called ‘credit crunch teachers’ are bringing new skills and experience with them.. However, current teachers have also questioned their motives and 33% are concerned that they don’t realise how difficult teaching is and won’t stick with their newfound careers when the economy picks up.

Teaching Applications

Martyn Best, managing director of Hays Education, said: “Interest in teaching jobs has increased during the recession. Naturally, people are looking for the added job security, but they are also taking stock and assessing what they really want from a career – particularly if they have been made redundant and feel let down by their previous employer.”

The government has recently attempted to attract redundant workers into teaching by offering fastrack PGCE courses. The incentives also include golden handshakes to those chosing to teach science or maths.

Stuart MacKenzie is a former graphic designer who turned his back on commerce and retrained as a teacher. Stuart, who is now head of design and technology, said: “I was a graphic designer working with clients such as Cadbury and Rolls Royce before becoming a teacher. Real-life experience is really helpful in the classroom and adds to the breadth of knowldege that you can pass on to a class.”

The vast majority of respondents (84%) confirmed this, with the belief that recruiting teachers from a wider cross section of backgrounds – including commerce – would benefit the teaching profession. Interestingly, it also seems the tide is turning against some of the common misconceptions of teaching with 59% of teachers stating that they were happy with their work-life balance.

Martyn Best said: “Our advice is to contact your local school and get some practical experience. See how schools have progressed and find out whether the reality of a career in the classroom would suit you. Then take a PGCE course and explore which side of teaching you prefer. A positive attitude, good communication skills and patience were rated most highly by current teachers. Many people will have learnt these skills in the private sector and once they have the relevant qualifications will find that teaching is a career they can excel in.”

About Hays Education:
Hays Education is part of Hays plc, specialising in range of education jobs from teaching assistant jobsto headteacher jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services By National PEO

National PEO LLC (Professional Employer Organization) offers safety compliance services along with a full spectrum of HR consulting expertise to a wide range of industries including food services, manufacturing, health care and construction.

HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services

Human Resources has been for years a frequently understaffed or overlooked department, especially in small and medium sized businesses that are focused on production and revenue rather than administrative requirements. However, it’s often at this stage that companies are in most need of HR best practices to facilitate strategic growth and manage various regulatory compliance issues. National PEO offers programs that can help companies with any of their HR needs, including:

• Employee development and training.
• Staff programs, safety programs and employee handbooks.
• Compensation analysis.
• Regulatory compliance, including safety and environmental compliance.
• Regional taxation rules.
• Strategic planning.

National PEO clients benefit from the experience of a company that was founded ten years ago and has remained committed to remaining at the leading edge of professional employer organization best practices and well as emphasizing unparalleled customer service.

Arizona Environment Progress, Inc., a National PEO client has this to say: “The staff is courteous and helpful, and goes the extra mile for their clients. Their Human Resource Department is such a pleasure to work with. We can always get answers to our most difficult questions, and most times have the answer within one hour. We would recommend them to any company.”

National PEO goes far beyond what typical a HR Consulting Firms offer, including the availability of bilingual support staff. Safety compliance includes providing a full safety inspection of the client’s facility, following OSHA inspection standards, accompanied by a written report and photographs. Going beyond the level of a trial inspection, a full safety audit is also available. This includes an inspection, review of OSHA 300 logs for the past five years and a comprehensive review of the company’s accident reports, safety training programs, environmental programs, hazardous material management plans and other relevant documentation. National PEO then assists the client to achieve abatement and compliance once an OSHA compliance inspection is completed.

For further information about National PEO’s HR Consulting services, including safety compliance programs, payroll processing and employee benefits programs, please call 480-429-8098, or visit www.nationalpeo.com.

About National PEO LLC
National PEO LLC was founded in 1999 and has enjoyed a decade of steady growth, becoming a leading provider of PEO services to hundreds of companies throughout Arizona and the United States. National PEO’s executive Safety Compliance Services team exceeds a combined thirty years of experience in the field and continues to steer National PEO toward exceeding expectations of a HR Consulting Firms through innovation, leadership, customer satisfaction and setting the trend for PEO industry best practices.

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Hays Social Housing Reports Increase In Demand For Housing Professionals

Hays, leading specialist recruiter, has stated that the government’s plans to secure a brighter future for school leavers amid the rising tide of unemployment, has led to an increase in demand for support workers.

“We are experiencing a steady demand for social housing jobs, particularly for support workers to undertake varying assignments with the 16-25 age group and this requirement is expected to increase as government grants for supported funding become available,” said Matt Lewis, Business Director at Hays Social Housing. Support workers typically assist individuals in hostels and refuges with their lives and the transition back to work. This means the skills employers are looking for include proven experience with client groups and an ability to undertake support plans.

In line with the government initiative, Hays Social Housing has been partnering with social housing providers to offer careers advice to tenants and youngsters that are at risk of being made homeless. “We’ve been running a series of workshops with a focus on how to create a winning CV and how to conduct yourself during an interview. The sessions have had a positive impact, helping to break down some of the barriers that are preventing individuals from fulfilling their true potential,” explained Lewis.

The recession, which has brought hardship to many families, has also fuelled an increased demand for specialist help for those at risk of having, or who have had, their homes repossessed. “The demand for housing advice officers has increased significantly over the past few months. Salaries have remained stable given the increased competition for skills to attract the best applicants, as pressure for these services continues to increase,” continued Lewis.

Due to the changing regulatory framework, one of the key trends has been the increased focus of housing associations on their customer service provision, which has led to a requirement for tenant and community engagement, neighbourhood involvement and inclusion. In addition the Decent Homes Programme continues to fuel tenant liaison opportunities with organisations such as contractors, building and utilities companies’ officers. Meanwhile, there is also a demand for housing policy roles that focus on strategy and commercially-minded individuals who can drive efficiencies and generate new business.

“Housing associations are looking for individuals with transferable skills to work as leasehold officers, liaising with private landlords and carrying out risk assessments,” added Lewis.

Two of the key requirements for individuals in social housing jobs are a solid work history and an ability to hit the ground running. While CIH qualifications are important, particularly for senior roles, these are not usually a pre-requisite. The demand for social housing professionals is likely to continue given the pressing need to increase the supply of affordable housing, as highlighted by the government’s commitment to build new homes, which is a continuing sign that the sector remains buoyant.

About Hays Social Housing:
Hays Social Housing is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of social housing jobs including housing benefit jobs and supported housing jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Hays Purchasing & Supply Report Cost Efficiencies Fuelling Procurement Demand

According to Hays Purchasing & Supply, the leading specialist recruitment company, the implementation of efficiency and cost control drives within organisations has led to a sustained demand for experienced purchasing professionals.

“Many SMEs and smaller companies are being required to improve the supply chain to protect their profit margins, which calls for sophisticated planning and improved procurement within the market. Blue chips and larger organisations are also driving supply chain improvements to ensure the route to market is increasingly efficient,” commented Pat Law, Managing Director at Hays Purchasing & Supply.

This has led to a steady demand for supply chain professionals, as employers seek to recruit for a range of purchasing jobs, including procurement, sourcing and contracts managers as well as those in forecasting roles.

“The diversity of roles spans across industries; from pharmaceuticals, food, fast moving consumer goods and the service sectors. Energy and utilities are also particular growth areas,” continued Law. “Salaries and benefits packages have remained competitive although jobseekers are being more flexible when it comes to remuneration and location to secure their next role.”

With many organisations cutting back on their learning and development budgets as part of cost-cutting programmes, the onus is on employees in procurement jobs to assume responsibility for their own development by demonstrating flexibility and making themselves indispensable. “Candidates should be looking for challenges and projects that broaden their experience, enhance their skill set through continuing professional development, whether through formal or informal training and they should look to take on extra responsibilities and seek ways to add value at every opportunity. Project based work outside of the ‘day job’ should be used to stimulate ideas and new ways of thinking,” advised Law.

Working in an interim capacity, especially for those who have been made redundant in the current market, provides an excellent platform to gain experience of diverse industries. “There is however more competition for those interim roles,” said Law. “It should also be noted that there are excellent opportunities for skilled jobseekers in both the public and private sectors, and therefore it is important for jobseekers to explore all available options and look to maximise their transferable skills.”

Employers are expecting more from their recruits and it is up to individuals to deliver results from the outset, “Previously, organisations might have taken on a candidate who ticks the majority of boxes, filling any knowledge gaps with training to hone their skills. But now candidates need to hit the ground running and show how they can add value by making the current processes more efficient,” remarked Law.

Commercial organisations are increasingly looking to improve their existing procurement teams, making them more efficient, effective and leaner to ensure a knock-on effect on profitability. “Each part of an organisation needs to be operating at maximum efficiency and as a result the focus for senior management is to cut costs across every step of the supply chain, from purchasing to final delivery,” concluded Law.

Hays Purchasing & Supply is part of Hays plc, specialising in purchasing and supply jobs including warehousing jobs and contracts and supplier management. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Demand For Corporate Recovery And Insolvency Professionals Rising

Hays Senior Finance has revealed that the current economic downturn has triggered a rise in the demand for professionals with corporate recovery and insolvency experience, to work on both permanent and temporary assignments.

Corporate Recovery Jobs

The increase in demand for these specialist skills across a range of industry sectors comes as a direct consequence of the difficult business environment. Professionals are sought after to work on a range of insolvency and corporate recovery jobs, from compulsory and voluntary liquidations through to administrations and corporate turnarounds. “Since the end of last year, we have experienced a rise in demand for insolvency, corporate and personal restructuring specialists, including administrators, senior administrators and managers,” commented Kathryn Swan, Director at Hays Senior Finance.

Salaries have remained steady and even risen for some roles, added Swan: “Although remuneration levels have remained fairly constant for managers, senior managers and directors, we have noticed marginal increases for administrators and senior administrators, compared to 12 months ago”.

Employers are typically looking for insolvency specialists, who have either gained experience with a Big Four, mid-tier or boutique insolvency and corporate recovery firm and this means that jobseekers would need to demonstrate experience of taking control of businesses that have succumbed to financial pressures.

An analytical mind and diplomacy are desirable attributes for those considering working in insolvency and corporate recovery jobs, with other required competencies including marketing expertise and commercial acumen as well as the ability to win new business. “On top of technical skills and qualifications, organisations are looking for experienced managers who can manage growing teams and who have a track record of winning new business,” continued Swan. “Market activity has remained buoyant and with more senior level firms opening up new offices and taking on new teams, there are real opportunities for those wanting to specialise in corporate recovery.”

The role of the corporate recovery specialist is a multi-faceted one: accessing the viability of each part of the business, ensuring all stakeholders buy into your plan and determining how to generate cash as fast as possible. Deflecting immediate threats to the client’s survival and devising strategies to drive profits are central elements to any recovery strategy. The normal route is to sit the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (CPI) exam and then study for the Joint Insolvency Examinations Board (JIEB) qualification. “This growth in demand has been for those with specific business review skills, for example Independent Business Reviews (IBRs), pre-lending or pre-insolvency,” added Swan.

The demand for insolvency experts has risen across the UK and the number of opportunities for suitably qualified professionals looks set to continue.

“We’ve seen an increase in number of insolvent, compulsory and voluntary liquidations and debt restructurings. The number of companies involved rose sharply in the final quarter of 2008 and this upward spiral is expected to continue into the second half of 2009 and beyond,” concluded Swan.

Hays Senior Finance is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of senior finance jobs from finance director jobs to tax accountant jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2008 the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million and placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments. The temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

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Joslin Rowe Questions Whether The Lowest Point For HR Recruitment In London Has Passed

Joslin Rowe, the specialist recruitment company, has reported a recent noticeable upturn in HR recruitment following a year long slide in City HR job volumes. While most of 2009 has been characterised by a continuing slump in HR recruitment, job volumes reached their nadir during mid June 2009, with a 77% decrease in HR jobs compared with 2008.

joslinrowe

Daniel Cooper, a senior consultant with Joslin Rowe’s HR recruitment team, commented: “Mid-May to mid-June signalled the lowest point, where the only positions being recruited for were incredibly specialist, such as learning & development roles, expat positions and comp & bens. There were very few generalist positions available. However, the last few weeks has seen a marked increase. There’s been an incredible bounce upwards.”

According to Joslin Rowe data, the HR jobs desk is now handling more roles than at any time since the recession was declared in 2008. And, more importantly, the sheer variety of firms recruiting is a strong indicator the market may no longer be in a downward spiral.

“We’ve seen our first few senior HR jobs being released from the legal sector, whilst a number of investment banks and insurance firms are recruiting again – even those who were hardest hit,” said Cooper. “Another positive is the number of HR generalist jobs. Certainly, the recruitment we’re seeing at the moment is way ahead of previous client predictions which all pointed to the end of 2009 before recruitment would reach current levels.”

Conversations with Joslin Rowe clients indicate that departments are now so lean, even a small increase in business activity will necessitate increased HR headcount, with one HR Director admitting his team is so stretched, he might be back up to 2008 headcount levels by the start of 2010.

“The key is of course, whether this growth can be sustained,” admits Cooper. “I think if we start to see jobs for internal recruiters, we’ll certainly know we’re heading in the right direction. At the moment, entry level HR jobs, graduate recruitment and internal recruitment are yet to recover.”

Another positive is that salaries for roles coming to market have remained very competitive. Despite this, candidates who previously earned £70,000 are now willing to look at roles at the £65,000 mark in order to return to the labour market.

Dan Cooper believes, “Job seekers are realistic enough to realise that whilst in the good times they may have seen their salary soar from £50,000 to £70,000, the market has re-aligned itself and they are happy to do the same.”

About Joslin Rowe:
Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms in the UK. Joslin Rowe consultants, candidates and clients work together to achieve the best employment opportunities and long term relationships. Joslin Rowe recruits for accountancy jobs and banking jobs along with other financial services jobs across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow including interim contracts, temporary and permanent positions. Joslin Rowe is a Randstad company – the second largest HR services group globally.

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BT Business Research Shows Britain’s Workers On 6 Day Weeks To Keep Jobs

New BT Business* research has shown that overtime is becoming the norm for almost 50% of staff since the financial crisis began. More than a third of those Brits feel compelled to work over their contracted hours every week because of the current climate, with most working an average of 7 extra hours per week – the equivalent of an extra day – and collectively putting £200 million in extra hours into the British economy each week**.

The findings also show a clear gender split with men more likely to be putting in the extra hours, including 66% of men stating they are working over the recommended 48 hour week.

More than a third (37%) of the 4000 survey respondents put in extra hours to cope with growing workloads. Colleagues being made redundant (41%) and a renewed focus by companies on improving customer service (35%) were cited as the top two reasons for this. However, over 40% also cited that this situation was being exacerbated by time being wasted in the work place because staff are not equipped with the right tools to do the job.

“These findings reflect the length that employees are willing to go to, to keep Britain’s economy afloat”, said Bill Murphy, managing director, BT Business, “Employers should look to match these efforts by equipping staff with what they need to become more efficient. Financial incentives may not be an option, but companies should consider how working practices can eliminate wasted time and boost productivity. Using technology to support practices such as flexible working can help companies strip out the fat as well as helping their staff become more efficient with a better work life balance.”

The research also revealed a drastic change in the office atmosphere with 37% of workers stating there is less laughter in the workplace compared to over a year ago and greater pressure on staff to perform. 43% of respondents believe that the offer of flexitime would help to create a better working experience. Flexible working including the option to work from home and improved technology (33%) also equally factored highly in people’s aspirations on how they’d like their workplace to change.

Workers showed a clear willingness to go that extra mile to impress the boss. 43% of respondents admitted to being motivated to work harder to keep their jobs, with 60% feeling very lucky to have a job. 34% of those surveyed admitted to turning up earlier for work and a similar number (39%) admitted they are being more proactive and have generally pulled up their socks to keep in the bosses good books.

The research was launched at BT Business Experience, a free week-long event held recently in London. As well as leading entrepreneur Peter Jones, prominent business experts were on hand to offer one-to-one advice on key issues facing the SME (small and medium sized enterprise) community in these difficult times and how they may be able to use technology previously only available to large companies to help them succeed and thrive.

* Research conducted for BT Business in June 2009 and surveyed 4000 people.
* * Based on minimum wage of £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older. According to the Office of National Statistics there were 29,108,000 people employed (aged 16 and over February to April 2009

About BT Business
BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business through product collections including business broadband & internet, domains & web hosting, data & voice networks, IT support and mobile services.

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Demand For Experienced Invoice Finance Professionals

Hays Banking, specialist recruitment company, reports the need for companies to seek a financing facility and generate cash during the recession has helped to maintain demand for experienced invoice finance professionals.

Invoice Finance Professionals

Despite the problems encountered by the banking industry as a whole, invoice finance has remained fairly resilient, “Many providers are independent businesses and therefore have not been affected as much as the large banking institutions. The invoice funding facility can provide a much-needed boost to cash flow, particularly in the present climate,” commented Tessa Hollingworth, Operations Director at Hays Banking.

Invoice finance is an integral part of commercial, business and corporate banking and is offered as a service by both independent providers and banks to commercial businesses of all sizes, from SMEs through to multinational corporations. The types of roles being recruited for include relationship and client managers, heads of customer relations and business development managers.

Among the key competencies required for invoice finance jobs are client and portfolio management experience, a track record of generating new business, liaison with external stakeholders and risk management control. Although there are no specific qualifications needed to specialise in invoice finance, organisations are typically looking for technical experience at relationship manager level and above. “Smaller invoice finance businesses will often require experienced individuals with excellent local knowledge and the ability to self-source deals through an introducer base,” remarked Hollingworth.

Invoice finance is split into three core areas: factoring, invoice discounting and asset-based lending. Invoice discounting enables the organisation to retain control of their sales ledger with funds based on the value of invoices, while factoring means that the bank deals directly with a company’s debtors, thereby eliminating the costs of administration. “Typically, individuals will specialise in either factoring or invoice discounting; the two are however closely aligned and candidates with these skill sets will often possess experience of both areas. Asset-based lending is a more complex, structured form of lending and is therefore a specialist area in its own right,” explained Hollingworth.

Although direct experience is required for the majority of roles, there are routes into the profession for those with relevant industry knowledge, “Transferable skills from junior support roles within the banking sector and financial service sectors are a definite advantage for invoice finance roles,” advised Hollingworth.

For those wanting to remain in a client-facing role, invoice finance allows the individual to gradually work towards the high-value client management arena, which brings greater reward and responsibility, along with access to more complex business structures. Client-facing success can also turn into staff management or area management positions in medium to large organisations if this is a preferred career path.

About Hays Banking:
Hays Banking is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range banking jobs from commercial banking jobs to wealth management jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Become A Professional Housekeeper/Nanny

Nannies and Housekeepers apply for work usually with experience; however, very few are well rounded in all areas so that they can offer themselves as certified professionals in the field. In this economy, the more you know and can offer up as talents and skills, the more likely you are the one to be selected for the job and less likely to be fired.

martaperrone

A professional domestic should learn have good basic childcare skills, and know how to clean, cook, do laundry, flower arranging, table setting and serving along with knowing how to conduct themselves on a job when problems arise and how to communicate properly with their employers in an effort build and maintain a strong employer/employee relationship.

Our one day seminar covers all this and more. Check out www.martaperrone.com to know more about our course study to help you or your employee become a full charge certified professional domestic.

In addition, we do in-home training, personalized household manuals, recruitment and consultation!

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IT Leads Organisational Efficiency – Reports Hays Information Technology

Hays Information Technology, a leading specialist recruitment company, reports a number of specialist IT skill sets have come to the fore during the current climate, as organisations seek to maximise efficiencies.

hays

Providing technical solutions in a structured and cost-effective manner remains a key priority, particularly for larger organisations and consequently this has led to sustained demand for architecture expertise in the current IT architect jobs market. “Enterprise architects can still command excellent salaries and remuneration levels reflect the substantial cost savings that these individuals can bring to their organisations,” commented James Lloyd-Townshend, Managing Director at Hays Information Technology.

The focus on cost efficiency has also fuelled demand for business intelligence consultants, whose remit is to prepare management information reports, keep senior stakeholders informed on all aspects of company performance and highlight areas where resources need to be diverted in order to optimise financial outlays. “SharePoint experience is a particular skill set that employers are looking for, as this can make a real difference to the way businesses share information, which in turn has a dual knock-on effect on engagement and productivity,” added Lloyd-Townshend.

Virtualisation is a central part of an organisation’s IT strategy in achieving consolidating and standardising infrastructure. This results in server and device consolidation and these reductions mean less capital expenditure, lower power consumption and maintenance costs, fewer human resource support requirements and software licenses. Cloud computing and cloud-based applications are seen as a pivotal part of this economy drive. Other specialist skills that are currently in demand for IT jobs include VMware, C# and .Net.

Some of the larger organisations in particular will be looking to increase their expenditure on IT projects during the second half of the year, in preparation for the upturn. “Businesses will initially look to bring in senior interim professionals to manage these projects and we would then expect them to gradually increase their permanent headcount as and when the market starts to pick up,” added Lloyd-Townshend. “Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are also taking advantage of the current market conditions to attract talent and these organisations offer opportunities for individuals to make a real difference to their businesses.”

While the nature of the current economic climate has altered the parameters for IT recruitment, many organisations are reassessing their requirements in preparation for delivering fundamental strategic projects, as this represents an opportunity to steal a march on the competition and subsequently gain market share. IT professionals can also bring their commercial skills to bear in the public sector, which is keen to hire individuals with a commercial background. “It is important that jobseekers research transferable skills and understand how these organisations operate,” added Lloyd-Townshend as a note of caution.

Finding increasingly cost effective infrastructure solutions, enabling faster data access across organisations and sharing information to gain operational efficiencies have all led to a steady demand for specialist IT skill sets, which will help organisations through the downturn and provide a solid platform for the economic recovery.

About Hays Information Technology
Hays Information Technology is part of Hays plc, specialising in IT jobs including developer jobs and programmer jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Silverdoor Grows Its Team With Eight New Starters

Eight new members of SilverDoor staff have started or are due to start within the next few months, bringing the head count at the company’s head office in Chiswick to more than 35 staff.

Eva Bogowicz has been appointed as finance manager, managing a team of five and reporting into Marcus Angell, SilverDoor’s founder and managing director. Her background is as a management accountant at VGC Group. As well as Bogowicz, Nimisha Dabasia has also joined the finance department as an accounts clerk. Dabasia’s background is with Nationwide Building Society as a senior banking officer.

Following on from the appointment of Segun Babalola as IT director earlier this year, the IT department also sees Hanish Vithal starting as software/technical support technician. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth with a BSc in Computing and Information Systems, he has been working as an IT consultant at Eurowide Media.

In addition to the permanent new recruits, SilverDoor has also taken on a number of 12 month university placements. James Hood, Danielle Lyons and Rafaela Baraldi are all from Bournemouth University, where they are studying Business Studies, and have been assigned various roles within corporate sales and marketing or finance. Priya Jotangia is also joining as a corporate sales and marketing placement from De Montfort University, Leicester, where she is currently studying an HND Business course.

Sofia Oragano also joins the corporate sales team. Oragano was previously a lettings manager at Foxtons.

SilverDoor represents more than 30,000 serviced apartments globally, with new serviced apartments in Belfast recently being added. Lucas Apartments located just ten minutes away from the city are housed within the iconic Lucas Building, a landmark Victorian factory that was completely renovated in 2001. Each modern serviced apartment features one or two double bedrooms, a luxury bathroom (with an additional en suite in the two bedroom apartments), a fully equipped kitchen and a furnished living area.

SilverDoor has also recently added new serviced apartments in Dublin. The New Street apartments are situated in central Dublin, just a short walk from St Stephen’s Green and other popular attractions including Temple Bar, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle.

The apartments range in size and layout and all are spacious and stylishly furnished and feature comfortable living rooms with contemporary furniture. The fully equipped kitchens offer modern appliances and the majority of the bedrooms feature double bedrooms with the option of converting to a twin bedroom if required.

About SilverDoor
SilverDoor International Serviced Apartments was incorporated as a limited company in March 2000 under its original name of Hotdigs. At the beginning of January 2006 the company changed its name to SilverDoor. The company was formed and continues to be led by managing director Marcus Angell. SilverDoor boasts an impressive client portfolio which includes many FTSE 100 companies such as Cadbury, MAN Group PLC, ICAP and Serco Group as well as relocation and hotel booking agents. SilverDoor offers serviced apartments in over 160 locations globally such as London, Paris, New York, Abu Dhabi and Toyko. SilverDoor has also just added to its portfolio with some new serviced apartments in London and a selection of Edinburgh serviced apartments to its portfolio as well as new serviced apartments in Manchester. SilverDoor is based in Chiswick, West London.

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