Category Archives: Recruitment

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Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

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

Maximise Your Chances of Landing a New Job

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

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

What makes you different?

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

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

How to stand out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

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

HR Professionals Optimistic For 2010 After Tough 2009

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

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

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

Summary of 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

2010 – A year of change

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

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

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

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Joslin Rowe Reveals Annual Scottish Financial Services Prospect Survey Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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‘No Strings’ Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

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

'No Strings' Free Training Offer for New Finance Recruits

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

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

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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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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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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.

Via EPR Network
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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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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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