Category Archives: HR Consulting

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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.

Via EPR Network
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National PEO Relieves Companies of the Confusion and Hassles Associated with the Arizona Everify Compliance Requirements

National PEO, a leading provider of PEO services in Arizona and across the nation, offers an Arizona Everify service. As new regulations and laws governing businesses are established, the process of running a business grows increasingly complicated. Small to mid-sized businesses often find that back office duties take up more time than revenue-producing activities. The Arizona Everify regulation is another in a long list of chores that businesses must comply with. With no end in sight of regulations and back office duties, more and more businesses are turning to the professional HR Consulting services of National PEO.

The E-Verify program is an internet based system operated by The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau. Although the system is set up to be user friendly, it is vitally important that precise steps are followed. Many businesses are finding that this system, added to the multitude of other back office duties, results in mass confusion. A mistake with the Arizona Everify requirement can result in possible suspension or even the loss of a company’s business license. This thought can send chills down the back of a business owner.

The HR Consulting team at National PEO can alleviate that fear as they work to process each new hire and rehire made by a company. The team will follow up on any discrepancies in a timely manner in order to comply with federal deadlines. Businesses appreciate the fact that the HR Consulting team also answers employees’ questions and audits the I-9’s and employee filing system.

Additionally, National PEO keeps businesses informed of changes to federal and state laws related to immigration. This comprehensive service means that businesses are relieved of unnecessary stress and they can focus on the duties that bring in profits instead of time consuming administrative tasks.

National PEO has the expertise and professional team members that can help any business run more efficiently and therefore, more profitably. They provide services ranging from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, Arizona Everify and beyond. Besides having extensive knowledge of laws and regulations, National PEO HR Consulting professionals can also assist businesses with such things as document translations or even Spanish speaking tutorials for staff and management. Whatever Human Resource need a business has, National PEO has a solution that will result in a higher profit margin.

National PEO works to help businesses have more time to spend doing profit-producing activities and less time in the back office working on administrative tasks. Their renowned HR Consulting services include a wide range of the basic to the unexpected. Small to mid-sized companies across Arizona and the nation have found National PEO is unmatched in its professionalism and extensive knowledge. Services offered range from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, and even Arizona Everify compliance requirement services. In essence, National PEO works with companies to fulfill Human Resource needs, remedy problems and provide solutions.

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SafeShores Group Release ‘ARCHANGEL’ The UK’s Largest Personal Safety System

Archangel is the largest personal safety system currently deployed within the UK. Originally conceived in 1998 and marketed as ‘Communicare’ by Argyll – www.argyll-loneworker.co.uk – the UK leader in lone worker monitoring, Archangel has developed significantly and currently supports over 30,000 end users managing key risks that span multiple industry sectors. In 2010, Archangel’s backbone technology was instrumental in assisting Argyll when, following extensive trials, they became the police preferred specification for use in domestic violence applications.

Archangel is the first fully integrated wide area personal safety monitoring system and is a comprehensive, secure, service platform designed for use by monitoring centres (e.g. call centres; CCTV; Telecare; or BS5979 Alarm Receiving Centre’s), delivering healthcare, personal safety and security services for commercial operators, employers and public sector agencies in pursuit of their duty of care under current health & safety legislation and emerging lone worker standards such as BS8484.

Personal risk management requires more than just software or devices it requires an holistic approach to all aspects of supporting people while working or living alone. This is why Archangel is designed to satisfy five key principals:

1. Risk Management
2. Location Management
3. Solution Management
4. Incident Management
5. Compliance Management

Archangel assists in the measurement and control of risk through the introduction of safer working practices for remote/mobile workers and discreet remote monitoring of vulnerable persons.

This aids:

Staff to take control of the risk at source by carrying out their own dynamic risk assessment and by enabling them to take sensible proactive measures that ensure their own safety Monitoring providers and responders to co-ordinate and deliver effective and appropriate assistance exactly where it’s required Employers – to achieve compliance with current Health & Safety legislation Carers – to provide discreet and comprehensive support for vulnerable individuals under their care.

Support is achieved through the combined use of layered, interactive and time based risk management software; electronic location information management; a choice of appropriate mobile devices and applications plus secure Internet services for local day-to-day management. The system is designed to provide care and response support to a wide range of vulnerable persons irrespective of the device being carried or their geographic location and without placing unnecessary resource burdens on response teams.

Archangel provides end users with simplicity of use, operational suitability and technical competence. Fundamentally it provides vital comfort, remote dedicated support and reassurance of safety.

For employers and carers Archangel facilitates compliance with legislation, offers productivity improvements, improves social relations and morale and provides simple administration via Internet services enabling management of the corporate H&S policy.

Archangel provides ARC’s with simplified operator interfaces and subscriber alarm workflows. Automated alarm escalation and filtration processes plus automatic and manual incident report generation with fully auditable performance and productivity measures enable demonstration of compliance with industry standards. High volume call traffic handling, intelligent routing, access to management information, flexible reporting and friendly, reliable support are just as important.

It is Archangel’s total commitment to these standards that has built our reputation for delivering an industry-leading risk management solution.

Main Features:
Police preferred specification
Over 30,000 end users
Modular technology, flexible and scalable architecture
Integrated location mapping
Secure Internet services for dynamic control
Supports personal mobile phones, blackberry and windows mobile devices
Supports a choice of accredited, specialist manufacturers, health, safety and
wellbeing devices
A choice of 3rd party developer applications
Compliance and audit reports
BS8484 lone worker standard compliant.

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Controlling Corporate Manslaughter Risk Through Effective Lone Worker Solutions

With the recent drastic increase in the consequences for firms contravening health and safety legislation, Tom Morton, CEO of Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker solutions provider, advises why organisations should mitigate their risks associated with lone working.

The release of new sentencing guidelines for courts (issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in February 2010) have raised the stakes for companies convicted of corporate manslaughter offences. The new law applies to every organisation within the UK and provides an effective route to securing a conviction in the event of a fatality, if it can be proved that a company was in breach of the ‘Duty of Care’ owed by the organisation to its workers by virtue of the way in which its activities are managed or organised. In addition to the existing threat of civil actions being taken by staff, unions or family members, and the costs of defending any action taken, the fine recommended for a public corporate manslaughter prosecution to be imposed on any business is now £500,000 or greater. Not only will the organisation face this unprecedented fine, but it may also be burdened with the additional costs of a remedial order and a publicity order.

Fines of this scale can have a devastating impact on small and medium-sized businesses with modest turnover and profit figures. In the case of very large businesses, the fines issued could be much higher than this minimum and the guideline suggests these will reach into millions of pounds.

However, these financial penalties are only part of the story. Courts are also empowered to issue remedial orders, requiring businesses to address any specific health and safety failures that it hasn’t already dealt with, but the final coup de grace is potentially the most damaging element of any corporate manslaughter sentence: the publicity order.

A business served with such an order is required to make a public announcement giving details of the offence committed and the financial penalty imposed. The court will dictate how this announcement must be made but it is expected that national and local press announcements and a message on the business’s own website will be usual practice. The reputational damage caused by a publicity order could end up costing businesses (especially large household names) far more, and take much longer to recover from, than any financial penalty the court can issue. The potential costs of complying with a remedial order and publicity order will not be taken into account by the court in setting the fine and will be a further drain on businesses that may already be facing unprecedented financial pressure.

In the 2008 TUC safety representatives survey, working alone was the sixth main hazard of concern for safety representatives. Recent research shows that 1.3 million people are attacked in the UK every year at work and assaults are increasing by 5% every two years. The rise in workplace violence now costs UK industry hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation and the loss of more than 3 million working days each year.

Health & Safety has been pushed to the top of the corporate agenda by the newly introduced legislation that threaten grave legal and financial consequences for those not exercising an adequate ‘Duty of Care’ for staff exposed to risk whilst operating as Lone Workers. In a nutshell, Trustees and Directors must consider every possibility when assessing the risk faced by Lone Workers and including the impact risk to the organisation.

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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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Veteran Background Screening/Investigative Team Starts A Michigan Location

Providing pre-employment background checks for some of the nation’s largest employment screening corporations, Florida-based GPS and Associates announces the opening of a new office in Michigan. The veteran team of professional investigators will now provide criminal records checks, employment screening and international investigative services from offices located in Florida, Tennessee and now Michigan.

Veteran Background Screening/Investigative Team Starts A Michigan Location

One of the few background-screening corporations that is also an investigative agency, GPS, specializes in providing “hands on” criminal history background checks in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.

Investigators at GPS provide nationwide document retrieval and investigative services to banks, insurance companies and private and corporate groups. GPS investigators are licensed in Florida and Tennessee, and bring more than 27 years of experience to all types of investigations.

“GPS has been instrumental in furthering a stricter hiring standard in the industry that provides pre-employment background checks. We play a key role in ensuring that employers keep the criminals out,” says Andy Gomez, President and CEO.

A licensed investigator, Gomez was one of the first to offer nationwide employment screening services. Today, the company’s pre-employment screening services include criminal record searches, civil litigation searches, bankruptcy filings, comprehensive background reports, corporate searches, drug testing, education verification and more. Documents can be retrieved at all levels, from local to global (upon request).

Julye Bakos, Vice President and Private Investigator, speaking recently at an investigators’ forum, stated that”GPS always goes the extra mile, not just to screen a profile but also to investigate carefully, confidentially, and conclusively any candidate that we do a background check on.”

In addition to on-site criminal background checks extending to Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands, GPS conducts all investigative services, including arson, due diligence, death, comprehensive background, insurance, worker’s comp, theft, fraud and the full range of investigations. Surveillance and debugging services are also available through GPS.

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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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Virtual Career Fair Platform For Veterans

Astound llc is proud to introduce the latest application of it’s virtual career fair platforms. Milicruit.com was developed and designed for veterans and employers to meet online in a fully interactive 3D environment.

“We are extremely excited to launch Milicruit.com and are happy to work with industry leading employers and the thousands of veterans who leave active duty each month who are looking to re-enter civilian life” says Kevin O’Brien, CEO Milicruit.

Virtual Career Fair Platform For Veterans

Through this revolutionary new technology, veterans will have the opportunity to build a profile to register for the virtual career fair, and employers will be able to fully interact with the veterans as if in person. The career fair will offer the following for the attending veterans and employers

Virtual Booths
Job Postings
Company Videos
Company Presentations
Live chat with company reps
Video interviewing
Resume and interview assistance

“With all that our veterans have sacrificed for us, this is a great opportunity for us as employers to give back and to demonstrate our commitment and gratitude to the men and women of our armed forces who have so proudly served us” states O’Brien

Unlike many other career fairs, the Milicruit fair will run for an entire year. The career fair is limited to 75 industry leading employers who have made a commitment to give back and hire veterans for the obvious skills they bring.

Veterans who are interested in participating in the virtual career fair should register at the address below. Employers who wish to participate in the event should also call or email to discuss the different options.

About Milicruit
Milicruit was developed and designed to serve those brave men and women who have so proudly served us with honor and distinction in our Armed Forces. Many of our veterans returning to civilian life often find it difficult to compete in the open job market, and Milicruit provides an opportunity for employers and veterans to come together in a virtual setting.

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Employers On Look Out For Specialist Legal Skills

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, has revealed that whilst it is premature to talk about a recovery in the legal market, signs are emerging that recruitment activity for certain niche skill sets has remained steady.

Hiring levels for transactional roles within private practice continue to remain static, but organisations are still keen to bring in specialist skills within certain sectors, such as professional indemnity, clinical negligence and insurance. Regulatory experience is also sought in both commerce and private practice, as employers continue to assess risk, particularly within the financial services sector.

“Although we cannot say with any degree of certainty that the market has turned the corner, we are experiencing signs of cautious optimism. Private practice firms are recruiting, particularly if they have a commercial and strategic reason to do so, for example senior level partners who have a following of clients,” said Helen Godwin, Regional Director at Hays Legal.

Demand for in-house roles has risen within the banking and financial services sectors, particularly in the derivatives, funds and asset management sectors. Organisations in the public sector are, however, beginning to be more cautious, “Although activity in the sector as a whole has slowed, given that organisations are wary of the political landscape and spending cuts, opportunities in niche areas such as childcare still exist, as councils seek to enhance their childcare legal teams,” affirmed Godwin.

The economic climate means that employers are still being very specific about their skills and experience requirements, thereby prolonging the recruitment cycle. “Firms are looking for individuals who tick all the competency boxes and can demonstrate a combination of technical skills and specialist knowledge. A track record in business development and a deep understanding of the commercial drivers of running a business are a definite plus,” continued Godwin.

For junior lawyers, conditions are the toughest for a decade – the number of training contracts has fallen and with trainees doing paralegal work, it has become even harder for qualified lawyers to find work. Adopting a flexible approach is very important, “My advice is to think strategically about the area of law you want to go into as some areas, such as clinical negligence, insurance and employment, are more recession proof than their more ‘glamorous’ counterparts,” noted Godwin.

The message for jobseekers is that they must be supremely well prepared given the intense competition to ensure they give themselves the best chance of securing a role. “I cannot stress enough the importance of researching the organisation and preparing for competency based interviews,” continued Godwin.

Ensuring that skills are kept updated is another important factor to help boost the chances of employability, “We would encourage young lawyers to take advantage of any networking opportunities and attend any relevant legal courses. Brushing up on areas such as employment law, restructuring and insolvency is a smart strategy, as recruitment for these skills will pick up in 2010,” concluded Godwin.

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Steady Growth In Demand For Retail Banking Roles

Hays, the world’s leading recruitment experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, has reported that despite difficult trading conditions, there has been a steady growth in demand for retail banking roles.

Signs are emerging that the market is starting to pick up, with organisations starting to prioritise recruitment. Tessa Hollingworth, Operations Director at Hays Banking, explained: “Clearly, we’re not out of the woods yet by any stretch of the imagination, but we are experiencing an increase in the demand for a variety of banking roles, particularly within the major retail banks and building societies.”

Building societies are looking to fill variouis banking jobs, from cashiers and customer service advisers through to assistant managers, senior branch managers and regional managers. “Recruitment is taking place across the board with these organisations looking for a mix of junior candidates and for those with managerial experience,” added Hollingworth. “Organisations will look carefully at an individual’s work history – evidence of loyalty to an employer is advantageous. Prior experience is preferred for more senior roles although for the more junior roles the right attitude is just as important.”

Recruitment in corporate banking jobs and commercial banking jobs has also picked up momentum, with a demand for restructuring and recovery roles in particular. These are challenging roles and individuals need to be excellent problem solvers and have first-class communication skills. Distressed debt is one of the key issues in today’s market and specialists with this specific experience remain highly sought after in the current market, given the requirement for strong credit, risk and accounting knowledge. “Employers are keen to hire individuals with excellent relationship management skills and strong credit skills,” added Hollingworth.

Business development also remains a focal point for retail banks and building societies with a strong track record in sales being one of the key competencies sought after by employers in the field of business banking jobs. Professionals can use their transferable skills from the wider retail environment to put them at an advantage when applying for jobs in this sector. Qualified financial advisers who are able to achieve targets consistently are also highly sought after, relevant industry qualifications such as FPC/CeFA are essential.

Professionals looking for retail banking jobs need to differentiate themselves in the current market and this means being thorough with CV preparation.

“With competition for roles extremely high, it is in the interests of every individual to spend as much time as possible refining their CVs. Candidates also need to work on their interview technique and be aware of competency based interviews and what employers are expecting,” continued Hollingworth. “For all roles, providing clear examples of past achievements and the impact they have had on the bottom line is particularly important. Specialist recruiters can provide tailored advice to help candidates in all aspects of the recruitment process.”

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Hays Reports Energy And Sustainably Skills Required For Building Services

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, is reporting that despite difficult trading conditions employers’ confidence is improving with positive signs for recruitment activity in the building services sector, especially for candidates with specialist skills, such as sustainability and energy efficiency experience.

Recruitment activity for jobs that require energy and sustainability expertise has remained steady across the public and private sectors, with employers particularly keen to attract individuals with a track record in implementing policies to reduce the carbon footprint and emissions of buildings.

Meeting efficiency targets is high on the agenda of most organisations and if a candidate can demonstrate experience in this field, this is a definite advantage and will improve the chances of being shortlisted.

“We have noticed that there are a range of permanent, temporary and interim opportunities for those individuals with energy efficiency experience. The types of role that employers are looking for include energy managers and facilities managers,” commented Mike McNally, Business Director at Hays Building Services.

Experience of Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and Advisory Reports is a fundamental requirement. “The requirement for DECs only came into effect towards the end of 2008 and these need to be renewed every 12 months, therefore local authorities and institutions need specialists in this field to ensure that targets are being met and that they conform to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD),” continued McNally.

The equivalent for commercial and private buildings is Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Low Carbon Consultants advise on the design and operation of commercial buildings to meet the highest energy efficiency standards complying with Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) of the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive (EPB) and can subsequently qualify and attain the Low Carbon Energy Assessor (LCEA) grade.

These skills and qualifications can be easily transferred from the private to the public sector, which increases an individual’s employability and can make a significant difference to those looking for building services jobs, particularly during the current downturn. “Achieving LCC status not only means that individuals can command better salaries but these specialists can make a real difference to consultancies and bring in much-needed project work,” added McNally.

The competitive recruitment market means that jobseekers with senior strategic project management skills and evidence of cost savings on projects will clearly hold the upper hand. Delivering cost effective solutions and adding value are very much the order of the day. “It is imperative that individuals spend sufficient time on their CVs and quantify their achievements, carefully detailing all the projects they’ve worked on and the impact this has had on the bottom line. Prior experience of the implementation of energy saving technology should always be included when applying for building services jobs,” explained McNally.

Chartership, qualifications and a solid Continuing Professional Development (CPD) record are all important considerations. “Individuals need to focus on career development and networking is a major part of this. Organizations such as the CIBSE, HVCA and the ECA hold numerous monthly meetings across the UK and are free to attend,” concluded McNally.

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PML Risk Management Will Be Accepting PEO Workers Compensation Submissions For Underwriting Quotes On An Invitation Only Basis

According to company owner Jim Shelton, “After more than three years of hard work and several set-backs, our program is finally ready for the PEO markets we have been trying to help”.

“The mid-market PEO will be able to breathe a refreshing sigh of relief with this program designed specifically for the PEO. In particular, smaller PEOs struggle to keep a workers’ comp policy, let alone afford it. Why? Simply put, workers compensation carriers have attached a negative stigma to PEO’s, requiring high collateral, deposits or “fixed” premiums based on an estimated annual premium, hurting the already beleaguered cash flow needed for the PEO’s day to day operations. Larger PEOs tie up precious cash flow and credit; that won’t happen with PML’s program”.

PML Risk Management, Inc. is trying to change the relationship between workers comp carriers and the PEOs who honestly and effectively manage their risk.

PML Risk Management, Inc, is not a professional employer organization (PEO), but the company owner has over 24 years experience as a PEO owner; fully aware of the workers compensation challenges and pitfalls facing the mid-market PEO, as well as the larger PEO.

This unique PEO program will offer qualified and accepted PEOs “Guaranteed Cost” Individual or Master Coordinated policies; all fifty states, No Collateral, little or NO deposit and a monthly reportable Pay-As-You-Go plan.

As an incentive, the program offers the PEO a profit-sharing dividend for keeping their loss ratio 40% or less. This program is the competitive blast of fresh air PEOs have been looking for.

If you would like more information about our PEO specific workers compensation program being offered through PML Risk Management, Inc, please visit www.peoworkerscompensation.com or call our licensed managing agent for more details ((210)) 380*2051.

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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.

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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

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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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