Category Archives: HR Services

‘No Strings’ Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

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

'No Strings' Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Construction Sector Seeking Flexible Freelancers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Acas Helps Businesses Avoid Employment Tribunal Claims

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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Demand For HR Professionals Hits High

Joslin Rowe reports demand for HR professionals is steadily increasing with job vacancies in financial services currently at their highest levels of 2009. This shift in the market shows that employers now have the budget to recruit new employees and recognise that with expanding work loads, departments left under resourced by redundancy now need more support.

This turn in the market is highlighted in Joslin Rowe’s bi-annual salary survey, where the figures show that there has been a 4% increase in HR job volumes in the last 6 months for permanent recruitment and a massive 63% surge in temporary and contract jobs. The influx of temporary and contract HR job positions appears to be a short term remedy to ease pressure on under resourced HR departments with demand for analytical, compensation and benefits professionals hitting a high to meet the year end requirements.

“Whilst the job flow does lie heavily within temporary and contract recruitment, this increase is extremely positive in a market that has been relatively stagnant for the majority of 2009”, said Tara Ricks, Managing Director of Joslin Rowe. “While talk of a market turn becomes more commonplace, employers are awaiting clearer signs that we’re beginning to leave the recession, so they can plan for growth in 2010.”

Yet while demand for HR professionals is on the rise, there has been a drop in salaries. On the permanent side average earnings have fallen by 14% over the last 6 months. While decreases have also taken place on the temporary side, the scale of the drop hasn’t been mirrored, with an average cut of only 1.2%.

Whilst salaries have taken a dip, the outlook is a positive one. If the demand for HR temps and contractors continues, this should have a knock on effect on permanent recruitment and with an increase in job flow, along with an expected boost in salaries. Joslin Rowe has already started seeing a rise in permanent mid level positions.

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The Return of Optimism for Finance Professionals

GREEN shoots, double-dips, doom and gloom, staggering unemployment figures – we’ve seen it all in the media this year, but finally there is some hope on the horizon, with 67% of accountants expecting a return to growth by June 2010.

It would be easy to assume that there is no recruitment activity out there at all. On the contrary, there have been some very credible reports on how finance departments have fared better than most other business functions.

There have been some significant changes to the role of an accountant but there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the profession. There have certainly been some clear winners and losers as a result of the turbulent changes within 2009.

Within some sectors, finance professionals have experienced pay cuts of up to 20% of salary. Many Financial Directors have overseen reductions or removal of bonus schemes – including their own.

On a more positive note, there has been an increasing optimism amongst fast-growing, innovative and ambitious businesses – which are still prepared to pay competitive packages to secure the right talent. Interim and project professionals have had a busy year, with reports showing how the demand for interims has been consistent during this recession.

In fact, Reed Finance has never had more interims out working on assignments than they have currently. Just like in previous recessions, many organizations have made use of a more flexible workforce within their finance departments and turned to hr consulting and contracting services. Day rates for the most expert and specialist interim contractors have been resilient throughout the year.

Some industry sectors that have been regarded as being hit hardest by the market conditions have also been some of the most active recruiters. A number of organisations in financial services, manufacturing and the leisure sector have been using recruiting significantly – as a result of significant structural changes.

An entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of now-or-never amongst companies with aggressive expansion strategies, has definitely been noticed. This has all created an increased need for experienced finance professionals; with these employers looking for hands-on accountants who are interested in exciting, opportunistic projects.

Finance experts within the retail sector have survived the recession well, with recruitment levels maintained. Recruitment of senior finance posts within the Public and Third Sectors also remained constant in the first half of 2009.

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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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Barrett Group Fields Complaints of Employee Internet Job Screening

Businesses spend a great deal of time and energy to develop strong reputations in their industries. As a result, employers are conscientious about the types of individuals they employ as their reputation may have an impact on the reputation of the business. Among others, The Barrett Group, a career management service, has witnessed a shift in job screening. It used to be that prospective employers would have a cover letter, a resume, references, and letters of recommendation that essentially encapsulated the candidate for hire.

With the ease of information access, more and more employers are using the Internet to screen potential employees. As a result, career management service businesses like Barrett Group llc. are becoming more mainstream and more valuable than ever. Studies have shown that 66% of hiring professionals use the Internet as a first screening and 50% report they disqualified a candidate based on the discovered data. As a result, it is becoming more and more important to be aware of one’s Internet presence.

Text-based media is notorious for miscommunication. Oftentimes comments and information found on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter may be damaging to a job seeker when discovered by prospective employers. Frequently, the damaging Internet data is a mistaken use of words or information that is completely unknown to the job seeker. As a result, Waffles Natusch, President of The Barrett Group recommended on an NECN TV interview that their clients ‘google’ themselves annually under normal circumstances. “If you are in a job search, we recommend our clients check every single week.”

During the NECN TV interview, Waffles Natusch, discussed ways in which individuals can, “Remove the ‘derogatories’ or things you don’t want people to see or that are erroneous.” Many individuals are amazed as to how many people have their same name, which can create additional problems for one’s reputation. There are methods to resolve these issues. The three recommended steps are:

1. Search for one’s name, its variances, and nicknames on various search engines and remove unflattering content,
2. Click on and place positive content on the Internet through Twitter, blogs and circulating articles
3. Setup google alerts so that an email notification is sent when new content is placed on the Internet.

The bottom line is that there may be erroneous or misleading information on the Internet that can have a negative effect on one’s ability to find employment. Waffles Natusch explained that “…somebody may indeed post malicious things about you.” which may, “…interfere with career aspirations.” Many individuals can manage their reputation themselves and for others it is advantageous to seek out professional assistance.

The Barrett group serves a broad spectrum of business professionals by providing premier career management consulting. With a proven track record of success since 1990, Barrett Group clients receive professional career management services by engaging and highly experienced consultants that produce results.

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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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Medical Sales Connection Offers Outplacement Services Program Specifically Designed For Displaced Medical And Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals

Global Edge Recruiting announces a new outplacement services division, Medical Sales Connection. Medical Sales Connection provides outplacement career consultation services designed to assist displaced medical and pharmaceutical sales professionals.

The statistics are staggering. Challenger, Grey & Christmas employment tracking service reported in the year 2000 that 2453 employees were downsized from pharmaceutical companies. By the year 2008, that number had reached over 24,880.

However in 2009, it has almost doubled to more than 53,000 eliminated jobs. According to Denise Wilkerson, Director of Executives Search, “With lay-offs on the rise, our clients needed our assistance to make career transitions smoother for displaced employees. As a leader in the recruitment industry, we feel outplacement services go hand in hand with recruiting services. We want to assist our clients during the difficult times, as well as the times of growth.”

The one-on-one career consultation program is designed to support displaced employees. The program is offered to client companies at reasonable corporate rates.” The Personalized Program includes:

· Personalized Career Plan Consultation with a Career Transition Consultant
· Cover Letter and Resume Writing Assistance
· Assistance and instruction on job search techniques and networking
· Guidance and instruction during the interview process
· 24hour / 7 days a week online web based Career Center

For more information about this topic, please call 877-370-2462.

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Global Edge Recruiting Offers Career Information And Job Opportunities For Healthcare Professionals

Global Edge Recruiting announces the launch of their newly revised website. The updated website is based upon 13 years of successful web marketing experience in the medical sales recruiting marketplace. The new site allows individuals to access current information on how to succeed in today’s tough employment market in either a hiring or job-seeking role. Although designed for medical sales professionals, many of the tools and information are transferable to any sales or marketing discipline.

Global Edge Recruiting

Currently, Global Edge Recruiting.com has over 200,000 hits each month demonstrating the reach of it’s resources on the web. According to Director of Executive Search, Denise Wilkerson, “The Career Center has always been a popular destination on our site. It contains information to assist job seekers in learning how to develop their resume, enter into a job search and successfully interview for a medical or pharmaceutical sales job. It is our hope that the information we provide can help make the job search and interview process easier for those experiencing difficulty in this market.”

Company officials are also citing successes in outplacement services. These services benefit both candidates and clients (employers) by assisting the displaced. The new website offers ongoing career information to assist candidates through periods of career transitioning.

Denise Wilkerson adds, “With the changes in our website, we hope to continue to meet the needs and expectations of both our clients and candidates. The unique tools provided by the new site really help us understand the sales candidate so that we may match them with the appropriate job. Conversely, the site also helps the staff find the talented, competitive individuals that today’s top medical sales companies are seeking.”

The new website was converted from a static site to a dynamic site. This allows“real time” recruiter changes allowing for immediate job postings or changes. According to officials, this helps attract talent when timelines are short or assist in simply getting information out in a very timely manner. The updates also allow for a recruiter blog and question submission area.

For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Randy Wilkerson, please call 877-370-2462.

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Reed’s Research Highlights the Impact of Job Cuts

Reed has undergone an extensive research process in order to compare the reaction of recessionary pressures in 2009 to those of the 1992 recession. This comprehensive study is a part of the Keep Britain Working initiative, which was developed by the recruitment services provider.

From the very beginning of this research it is clear that today’s employers are responding very differently to recessionary pressures than those of 1992.

This is in spite of the fact that an identical percentage of organisations in both the 2009 and 1992 studies – 44% – said they had made redundancies as a direct response to the downturn.

Where organizations in early 1992 felt compelled to radically re-engineer their staffing structures, in 2009 something else is happening. In 1992 over 67% of organisations indicated that staffing structures had been changed by the recession. Managers were particularly hard hit by redundancies and were predicted to be least in demand in the upturn, as companies de-layered across the board. The multi-layered, hierarchical organisation was replaced by something much flatter and therefore more flexible.

Redundancies seemed to be imposed with what often sounded like brutal relish. They were characterised by phrases such as “stripping out the dead wood” or “cutting out anyone over the age of 50”, heralding the end of the “job for life”.

Two decades ago 40% of employers identified their most successful recession-driven change as “increasing central controls”. In contrast only 20% encouraged greater employee co-operation. This smaller group actively introduced higher levels of internal communications and staff training, multi-skilling workers to perform across previously rigidly demarcated roles. While it was feared at the time that mass redundancies would jeopardize what was known as the “psychological contract”, in retrospect the actions of this smaller group sowed the seeds of a new relationship between staff and managers which the best organisations appear to have built upon ever since.

In 2009, in contrast to 1992, redundancies have hit across the board, but have not changed the shape or staffing structure of organisations. In 1992 67% said a fundamental shift in staffing patterns occurred, today people are split 50/50. This report shows a different process is occurring, involving a more fundamental shift in attitudes amongst employers and workers.

Key findings for 2009 include the following:

Staff number changes within the organization since the down turn:

• Decreased: 44%
• No Change: 36%
• Increased: 20%

Effect of Recession on staffing patterns within the organization:

• No Change: 51%
• Change: 49%

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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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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.

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