Category Archives: HR

Careers, Employment, Employment Outsourcing, HR, HR Consulting, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Networking, Recruitment

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.”

Via EPR Network
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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.

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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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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.

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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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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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HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services By National PEO

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

HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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ISV Partner Is Dedicated To Oracle Human Capital Management

Applaud Solutions today announced that it has become a Partner in the Oracle® PartnerNetwork. Applaud Solutions are a new cross market Independent Software Vendor dedicated wholly to producing solutions for Oracle® E-BusinessSuite HCM.

applaudsolutions

Formed in 2008, the founders of Applaud Solutions have all had over a decade’s worth of experience in Oracle HCM and have worked on some of the largest UK projects in sectors including Local Government, Central Government, Retail, Finance and Telecommunications. Their goal is simple: create integrated solutions that are in demand f r o m Oracle HCM customers, built to the same world class standard as that provided by Oracle development.

Early solutions proving popular with early adopters include integrating Microsoft Outlook with Oracle® Learning Management and a new graphical user interface for Managers to schedule holiday bookings f r o m within Oracle® Self-Service HR.

Applaud Solutions are embarking on validating the integration of their solutions through Oracle’s Application Integration Architecture (AIA) for Partners validation process.

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Hays Social Housing Reports Increase In Demand For Housing Professionals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hays Purchasing & Supply Report Cost Efficiencies Fuelling Procurement Demand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Demand For Corporate Recovery And Insolvency Professionals Rising

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

Corporate Recovery Jobs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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