Category Archives: Recruitment

Corporate Benefit Coordinators Is Proud To Announce Its Newly Formed Integrated Business Solutions Model, The M-5 Group

In this economy business owners must work smarter. CBC’s M-5 Group gives them the tools and resources to bridge the gap between struggling and thriving. Corporate Benefit Coordinators is proud to announce its newly formed Integrated Business Solutions model, the M-5 Group. Currently comprised of nine powerful firms that deliver innovative quality employee benefits, top-rated retirement plans, more efficient web-based payroll services, premier CPA auditing and consulting, and more, the M-5 Group provides business owners a virtual one-stop shop for all their business needs. Each M-5 Group member brings unique strengths, dedication and specific business know-how within each of their respective fields. Unlike the normal business model wherein the business owner solicits and engages with several entities to fulfill company requirements, the M-5 Group provides an impressive array of independently operated firms that provide business resources that the employer can utilize to streamline and efficiently position his/her company in an ever-more-challenging business environment. Member groups include:

• Brucker and Morra – The largest Southern California firm that exclusively practices employee benefits law, this company has a deep understanding of every nuance of tax and labor law, including but not limited to 401K, IRS and DOL compliance initiatives and self-correction alternatives, ERISA litigation and family law.

• CommerceWest Bank – Core values, consistency, reliability and a dedication to the highest level of service standards for clients is what this regional and business banking institution is all about. With special features, including Remote Deposit Solution, Concierge, Banking by Appointment, NetBanker Online Cash Management, 48-Hour Turnaround and 24/7 Emergency Banking, CommerceWest stands heads above the competition.

• Corporate Benefit Coordinators (CBC) – A full-service benefits firm dedicated to helping companies achieve their financial and business goals. CBC offers superior group medical, dental, and ancillary plan designs. In addition, we offer compliance and administrative services with hands-on, personal attention to help improve the bottom line. Cafeteria plans, COBRA administration, Health Savings Accounts, 401K plans, and 5500 tax preparation are also among our top-rated client services.

• Garret/Mosier/Griffith/Sistrunk Insurance Services (GMGS) – GMGS is a full-service insurance brokerage dedicated to providing insurance, surety and risk management solutions for businesses. Through a combination of claims/loss control services, technical insurance knowledge and alternative cost-effective combinations of risk retention & risk transfer, GMGS is able to dramatically lower the long-term insurance costs for businesses while successfully protecting and enhancing their financial strength.

• HR Alternatives, Inc. – HR Alternatives provides Human Resource capabilities to meet business objectives while effectively managing employee related concerns with our advisory support and project solutions consulting. Advisory support provides ready access to certified expert consultants on a retained basis. Project Solutions provides the design and implementation of projects, such as HR Compliance, AAP, Employee Handbooks, Compensation Programs, Safety, Recruitment, Training and Organizational Development. This company’s full spectrum of resources provides an effective Human Resource function at a fraction of the cost of traditional options.

• ING Retirement Services – One of the largest and most formidable leaders in the U.S. retirement services marketplace, ING closed its acquisition of CitiStreet, thus reinforcing its long-term commitment to the business and further strengthening its ability to design and deliver best-in-class customer solutions.

• Lesley, Thomas, Schwartz & Postma – A full-service, certified public accounting firm dedicated to providing a full spectrum of customized accounting and advisory services to solve business problems and achieve business goals, this firm has a proven track record for producing results.

• PayBridge – A nationally recognized leader in web-based, real-time payroll solutions that integrate with retirement plan administration and recordkeeping. PayBridge eliminates repetitive spreadsheet calculations, enables contributions to reach 401(k) plans faster, and promotes timely compliance with federal and state regulations with less time needed for oversight. Above all, PayBridge saves money for clients by streamlining payroll operations. The outcome is a fast, intuitive, and flexible payroll / HR solutions platform that reduces costs and lets managers spend more time growing revenue.

• The Pension Group, Inc. – A committed, premier retirement-plan design and administration service group dedicated to Profit Sharing, 401k, Pension Plans and New Comparability/Tiered Plans, The Pension Group’s professional approach saves both time and money for businesses and creates on-going value for clients with appropriate, timely, accurate, personalized service.

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Demand For Specialist Telecoms Talent Reports Hays Telecoms

Hays Telecoms has reported that employers are seeking specialist telecoms talent, with business and core networks, content and media, mobile and wireless, all experiencing steady recruitment activity.

High on the list of desirable skills is the demand for individuals with experience of transmission, provisioning and planning of fibre networks.

“People skills and advanced technologies are being used to streamline networks and follow best practice in and around transmission of the data to make networks more productive,” commented Lee Chant, Managing Director at Hays Telecoms. The key skill sets that employers are looking for in networks jobs are engineering based; knowledge of products such as LAN, WAN, Cisco and Juniper are particularly sought after while other networks (Extreme, 3Com etc) and infrastructure skills (Cat5, Cat6) are also currently sought after.

There is also a requirement for internal network security jobs within companies and their Firewalls. Companies are looking at their present networks to ensure they are accurately mapped – central to this enhancement is fibre optimisation and the design of the most efficient circuits to execute customer requirements and service. “Network optimisation is very much a buzz phrase around the industry at the moment,” noted Lee.

Recruitment activity for core network jobs is also remaining resilient, as many companies seek to win provisioning, transmission and design work. The current economic conditions have also provided a good opportunity for companies to complete their design and network planning, which has led to equipment upgrades and work around network efficiencies. This has fuelled demand for specialists with experience of Juniper, Cisco, Huawei, Ciena, and more driving environments such as IP, MPLS, VPLS, ATM, Frame Relay, SDH, PDH and DWDM. “Other buoyant skill sets include TDM, VoIP, SIP, H.323, IMS, Intelligent Networks, CPE, Ethernet and Dark Fibre,” added Lee.

Linked to the core networks is the content and media side of telecoms. The race is on for companies to corner the market in the ‘quad play’ arena, namely providing the ‘four in one’ home broadband, TV, telephone and mobile services. Investment in research and development has generated mobile and wireless telecoms jobs, as companies strive to gain a comparative advantage over their competitors. Mobile applications, mobile content, Symbian, J2ME, Multimedia, Broadcast, IPTV, VoD, DTV,H – DAM, EPG, Triple/quad Play are all desired skills.

“Although the sale of mobile handsets has slowed, companies are looking to invest in product development, such as mobile TV applications,” Lee explained.

Another area of growth is the field of technology to support collaboration, video-conferencing and web-conferencing. Knowledge of Cisco and Tandberg are proving to be the most in demand skills, as well as general IP networking experience relating to conference bridges. Employers are looking for professionals with web-based video conferencing experience, using sophisticated Telepresence technology. “The advantage of these products is that they save money and are environmentally friendly,” concluded Lee.

About Hays Telecoms:
Hays Telecoms is part of Hays plc and specialises in a wide range of telecoms roles fromconvergence jobs to jobs in broadband. Hays 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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Oil And Gas Sector Remains Attractive Option For Engineers Says Hays

Hays, specialist recruitment company, survey shows demand for qualified engineers in the oil and gas sector remains resilient despite the downturn and this is reflected by the competitive salary and benefits packages on offer in the industry.

The 2009 survey, which was conducted in partnership with the Energy Institute, analysed trends in the oil and gas jobs sector, showed pensions were top the list of desirable benefits for almost 80% of workers, followed by annual leave entitlement (71%), health insurance (66%), and bonuses (58%).

“Nine day fortnights are also fairly typical of the oil and gas sector, enabling workers to take a supplementary day off every other week. We are also seeing car allowances at all levels, including for more junior roles,” commented Eliot Davies, National Operations Director for Hays Oil & Gas.

Many companies also sponsor career development, offering to pay for further training – this is borne out by the number of workers who hold a postgraduate qualification (43%). The survey also revealed that over half of oil and gas workers saw their incomes boosted by bonuses (58%), which can climb as high as 20% of base salary. Indeed, almost half of oil and gas professionals (45%) are expecting to receive a bonus this year. The opportunity to work on projects globally is also attracting jobseekers to the oil and gas industry, demonstrated by the survey findings, which reveal that two thirds of respondents deemed this to be either important or very important.

“Although Aberdeen is still seen as a centre for engineering excellence, many head offices located in the city will offer opportunities for secondment abroad,” stated Eliot.

The commercial experience of principal and contracts engineers is also highly sought after, along with C&I, structural and mechanical engineers. While some employers require specialist oil and gas experience, others are considering taking on construction sector professionals such as quantity surveyors where skills can be easily transferred across industries.

“We are experiencing particularly strong demand for intermediate and senior level reservoir engineers, geoscientists, geophysicists and people with FEED experience,” Eliot commented.

Salary bands for oil and gas engineers in the sector vary from £28-36k at the junior level (for individuals with one to three years’ experience), £35-50k at the intermediate level (three to six years’ experience), £48-70k at the senior level (seven to 10 years’ experience) and £60-120k at the management level (10 years’ plus experience).

About Hays Oil & Gas:
Hays Oil & Gas is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, specialising in a range of oil and gas jobs from piping and drilling jobs to field engineer 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 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Resumegpsâ„¢ Enhances Virtual Recruiting – A Budget-Friendly Solution For Cost-Conscious Corporations

OptimalResume.com has announced the launch of its patent-pending ResumeGPSâ„¢ program allowing employers to easily and conveniently source, screen and interview job candidates online. ResumeGPS combines the resume building, candidate searching, and online interviewing experience for students and employers into one offering. With ResumeGPS, employers who visit the Optimal Resume website can search opted-in resumes from participating colleges and universities and accelerate the short-listing process with dynamic resume books and integrated video interviewing options.

ResumeGPSâ„¢ is offered to OptimalResume.com client schools and students at no charge. Corporations can have access to the program for a monthly fee. The program offers a low cost, virtual recruiting option that can stimulate student and alumni placements, build employer relationships and generate income for career centers.

OptimalResume.com is conducting daily webinars for its current corporate and university clients who may be interested in learning more about this valuable service. Interested employers can visit Optimal Resume online at www.optimalresume.com/employers.html.

About OptimalResume.com
OptimalResume.com is the technology leader in online career services and is headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. In 2005, the company launched OptimalResumeâ„¢, its award winning, web-based resume-building program developed in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. More than 300,000 users rely on OptimalResume’s leading edge online career tools to secure secure employment, and more than 600 career centers use it to manage workflow and empower job seekers to return to the workforce more quickly. OptimalResume’s flexible product line not only has applicability for career centers, but also for workforce boards, outplacement firms, corporations, associations, libraries, and more. With state-of-the-art, private-label or co-branded platforms, job seekers at all levels can now create high-quality resumes, business letters, ePortfolios, video introductions, skills assessments and perform virtual interview practice. For more information visit http://OptimalResume.com.

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Hays Reports Interim Learning And Development Professionals Still In Demand

According to Hays, the leading specialist recruitment company, while the current market may have impacted the recruitment of permanent learning and development jobs there continues to be fixed term contracts available for senior interim professionals.

“We envisage that employers will be using interims more regularly to identify organisational requirements on an ad-hoc basis to deal with specific requirements,” observed Heidi Waddington, Managing Director for Hays Human Resources.

Organisations are looking for practitioners with a strong commercial background and a track record in the management and development of staff. The emphasis has shifted from core training delivery, to a more strategic requirement to identify and implement bespoke programmes that are linked in to an organisation’s overall talent management programme. Investing in leadership programmes and competencies remains an important aspect of organisations’ HR strategies, as the importance of succession planning becomes ever more important, particularly during difficult economic times.

“There is a greater focus on talent-management and identifying key players in an organisation. Some of the larger organisations typically will forge associations with leading business schools to develop in-house programmes”, Heidi continued.

While organisations continue to review their cost efficiencies and examine ways in which they can streamline their HR operations, learning and development jobs remain
a central point of the HR function, despite the fact that resources are being stretched and that these skills have to be picked up by HR managers.

“Although companies remain keenly focused on the management and development of their people, line managers are having to upskill and add to their remits, particularly within small and medium sized organisations that are increasingly relying on in-house recruitment expertise rather than external training providers. Of course, in certain regulatory fields, there is always a requirement for training delivery,” Heidi explained.

Typically learning and development jobs do not follow a standard HR career path, in contrast to that of the HR generalist. An individual specialising in learning and development will have usually started life outside HR before making the transition to learning and development, albeit they would have had some involvement with training and development within a commercial environment. Skills can be easily transferred across from other disciplines, as long as they have previous training and development experience.

Learning and development remains closely linked to organisational development, particularly during difficult times when the need to invest in staff becomes greater and the reduced staff numbers need to acquire and make up for any ‘lost’ skills. Organisations will rely on interims to design programmes and to use their change management expertise in order to shape overall company structure and ultimately lay the foundations to provide challenging and rewarding careers for staff. The role of the learning and development manager spans across the whole talent agenda, looking closely at development needs and at staff retention.

About Hays Human Resources:
Hays Human Resources is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, and specialises in a range of HR jobs from diversity and equality jobs to training 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 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Hays Highlights Office Managers Bringing Added Value To Business

Hays, specialist recruiter, has announced that although the market for senior office managers has slowed during the last quarter, opportunities still exist for suitably qualified applicants, particularly in the professional and public services sectors.

Competition for office manager jobs may have intensified in the current marketplace as the number of applicants per role has increased. “Market conditions are dictating salary levels and job volumes at present but demand still exists for the most highly skilled and experienced office managers,” said Geoff Collings, Regional Director at Hays Office Support.

Applicants need to be flexible, in terms of salary, location and industry sector. Employers are looking at their costs carefully but jobseekers can improve their chances of securing a role by looking outside their immediate industry sector. Geoff continued, “It is definitely worth considering smaller and medium sized enterprises, which may still be growing”.

Senior office managers with the broadest range of skills are best positioned to succeed in the current market, as employers can benefit f r o m the commercial experience that they can bring. “Those candidates who can demonstrate quantifiable examples of the value they bring to a business are sought after. Examples include procurement, tenders and contract negotiations, which can help save costs, drive efficiencies and impact profitability,” explained Geoff.

As firms look to restructure and merge roles, there is a requirement for individuals who have experience across a range of areas and office managers can fit the bill perfectly. Facilities management, procurement and contract management, secretarial management and first line IT support can all fall under the remit of the senior office manager.

Versatility is a major plus but employers are also looking for first class people management skills, people that can stay calm under pressure and are natural problem solvers. “Office managers need to think on their feet and be approachable, have excellent prioritisation skills and liaise with internal and external stakeholders alike,” Geoff emphasised.

While recruitment activity for senior office managers has slowed across the UK, there are some excellent opportunities for the right jobseekers. Continuing professional development and enhancing skills by taking on a range of responsibilities are important factors in the current climate. “We would urge all applicants to update their CVs and make sure they list all their relevant experience, as employers are being more selective in their hiring,” concluded Geoff.

About Hays Office Support

Hays Office Support is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in a wide range of admin jobs including customer service jobs and data entry jobs. Hays is the market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating f r o m 393 offices in 27 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; – the Group 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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Tonawanda Firm Recruits American Nurses For King Edward VII Hospital In Hamilton, Bermuda

Worldwide Travel Staffing, Ltd. (WTS), a Tonawanda based healthcare recruitment firm, has been engaged by the King Edward VII Hospital in Bermuda to assist in their recruitment of American healthcare professionals.


WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, RN, MSN, and Todd Cleckley, Vice President of Business Development, recently met with hospital officials in Hamilton, Bermuda to finalize contract negotiations and toured the state of the art facility. Bermuda is experiencing a shortage of nurses, physicians, and allied healthcare professionals. This need prompted King Edward VII Hospital to look beyond their borders for healthcare staff. WTS specializes in the recruitment of nurses and other healthcare professionals for short and long term assignments (3 months to 3 years) throughout the United States and around the world.

WTS will have its first American nurse on Bermuda in April 2009, with others to follow in the coming months. WTS is the only US firm that is currently recruiting on behalf of King Edward VII Hospital and the Bermuda Hospital Board.

Worldwide Travel Staffing (WTS) was founded in 1993 to assist hospitals with their staffing needs by providing contract healthcare staff. WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, R.N., M.S.N. has lead the company’s expansion from being solely focused on domestic contracts to expanding their services internationally to include recruiting contracts in Bermuda, Guam, Ireland, U.K, and U.S. Virgin Islands among others. WTS has been listed by Inc. magazine as one of America’s fastest growing private companies for two years in 2007 and 2008.

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Joblux.Us, Unique Online Recruitment Services For The US Market, Dedicated To The Luxury Sector

Joblux Limited is delighted to announce the launch of joblux.us, unique online recruitment services for the US market, dedicated to the luxury sector. Joblux unique services to the luxury professionals, employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike, cover any job category within the luxury industry worldwide.

Why joblux.us?

After joblux.co.uk, Joblux unique concept successfully entered the French market with Joblux.fr. Entering today the US market, Joblux Limited intends to make available to US employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike its luxury-centric dedicated services and information. Made by top end human resources professionals from the luxury sectors, it aims at uniting luxury market professional jobs around a focused, high quality, careers and recruitment website.

Joblux Limited

Joblux Limited is a unique and original concept in Jobs and Recruitment online services for the luxury industry’s professionals. Joblux’s recruitment websites offer a great resource for employment sectors, covering the following domains at a high level: Fashion, Jewellery, Creative & Design, High end Hospitality, Lifestyle, Beauty, Fine Food, Media, PR, etc.

Apart from keeping the control on their recruitment process and having the guaranty of reaching a targeted jobseekers audience of quality, employers will make massive savings on their recruitment costs by using our premier online recruitment services such as our Premium Ads, CV Bank service, Banners system and branding.

Recruitment/placement agencies operating within the luxury market will find with us an efficient recruitment website to get a targeted & quality jobseekers traffic to fill their vacancies all the year long. Please get in touch to know more about our bespoke media packages for recruitment professionals.

Luxury industry professionals from all sectors find with Joblux an exquisite careers website to help them find the job they have in mind. Fashion career opportunities, Jewellery jobs, Creative openings, High end Hospitality and Lifestyle roles, Fine Food positions, Beauty careers & more broadly all luxury jobs are with joblux.us. Registering a CV with Joblux.us gives access to a unique application management system and this totally free of charge. High end professionals may as well search job advertisements such as “Store Manager Prestigious Jewellery Brand” or “Directing all aspects of brand development and marketing” or “We are looking for a Fashion Merchandiser to join …”

Do not hesitate to contact Alex Mason 646. 808. 30. 47 http://www.joblux.us

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TalentScotland has announced the results of its latest survey which reveals that Scotland would be their first choice to relocate to in the UK

TalentScotland has announced the results of its latest survey of 2,602 global job hunters which reveals that Scotland would be their first choice to relocate to in the UK. TalentScotland.com, the website offering advice, support and vacancy information for people looking to relocate to Scotland has published these latest results which found that 49 percent picked Scotland compared to 44 percent who chose England as their preferred location.

The survey highlights the global appeal of Scotland as a relocation destination with the considerable majority of respondents (93 percent) coming from outside the UK. 58 percent live in Europe, 10 percent in Asia and 8 percent come from North America. Of the overall number of respondents, 86 percent said they would actually considerrelocating to Scotland with those aged between 25 and 44 being the most willing to move.

When considering a career change and possible relocation the survey respondents revealed that they felt the following to be most important factors in their decision making:
– 74% local education services
– 66% house prices
– 52% culture and shopping
– 51% access to the outdoors

Hazel Sinclair, Head of TalentScotland, commented on the findings:

“I am not surprised that so many jobseekers see Scotland as a highly desirable place to relocate. Not only do we have a wealth of great jobs across a wide range of sectors, but we have all the additional quality of life aspects, such as world class schools and universities, affordable housing, a distinct and welcoming culture and the amazing Scottish countryside on our doorstep.

“It is encouraging to find that most people felt job satisfaction to be more important than salary with 81 percent rating job satisfaction as fairly important or extremely important compared to 79 percent for salary.”

About TalentScotland.com
TalentScotland.com, with the backing of the Scottish Government and industry partners, aims to bring highly skilled professionals to choose Scotland as a location to live and work. The website provides information about Scottish careers, lifestyle as well as practical information on making a move. It acts as a gateway to a large number of vacancies in Scotland’s key industries including life sciences, electronic technologies, financial services and energy. TalentScotland produces a regular e-newsletter for registered users as well as emails listing current vacancies.

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Who has had the greatest number jobs in the UK

Jobs for life are virtually non-existent in today’s labour market, with the current average lifespan of jobs in the UK being on average just three years, and even as short as 18 months for graduates.

While the majority of workers regularly change their jobs, this is not the case for people who live in Scotland , as a high percentage of workers only have one job throughout their lifetime, a recent survey by online job search specialists Tip Top Job has discovered.

The survey polled over 1,000 people to find out who the biggest job-hopping culprits are. While Scots are the most stable, those in the South West have the most jobs in the UK throughout their working life, with the majority of them holding over eight different positions.

Who has had the greatest number jobs in the UK ?
The Welsh are the next region with jam-packed CVs – 23% of Welsh workers have had eight or more jobs, compared to a relatively low percentage in the North West and North East, where workers tend to have just two or three jobs in their working lives.

Corinne Dauncey, Careers Expert from TipTopJob.com, said: “While staying in one job for your entire life might seem unrealistic, it appears that there are people out there who are content doing the same job, which says a lot about the companies they work for.

“However, if you feel that you have got as much as you can out of a job, then looking for a new one might be a good option as long as you don’t do this too frequently. Moving jobs every few months will put potential employees off as they will question your loyalty and the credibility of your CV.”

As jobs in the UK become more fluid and less stable, job search services play an ever more important role. Careers are more flexible than they have ever been before, and job seekers have to be aware of this if they are to make the most of their working lives.

Tip Top Job is an international job search engine that covers every area of today’s job market. With a focus on UK vacancies, Tip Top Job allows users to search its job boards quickly and easily according to their needs, skills and requirements.

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Communication Roles Rise In Public Sector Says Hays

Hays, the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, has revealed that marketing professionals are benefiting from the steady flow of jobs being created by the public sector and certain skill sets, such as communication roles, are experiencing an increase in demand. These roles are coming into their own during the current downturn, given the need for employers to bolster levels of employee engagement, drive productivity and push the efficiency agenda during these economically challenging times.

As the interest in public sector marketing opportunities grows, the added job security and range of flexible benefits offered are luring communications professionals away from the private sector. The majority of marketing jobs in the public sector are communications related with an internal or external focus: “There are opportunities for suitably qualified communications professionals right across the public sector, from entry level Communications Assistant through to the more senior roles, including Head of Internal Communications or Communications Director,” informed Matt Anderson, Managing Director at Hays Marketing.

Skills can be easily transferred from the private sector, although previous experience is an advantage and jobseekers need to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the systems and processes that are used by public sector organisations.

“Given the intense competition for roles at the moment, jobseekers need to show a strong degree of commercial awareness and be able to communicate with internal and external stakeholders alike,” continued Matt Anderson.

A stronger desire to work in the public sector was one of the key findings of a recentHays survey, which revealed a marked rise in the number of professionals looking to cross over from the private to the public sector in 2009, as compared with a year ago. Almost three in four respondents cited a greater level of job security as the main reason for considering a switch of sectors (73%), followed by an improved work-life balance (59%) and the enhanced benefits on offer in the public sector (37%).

“Some applicants are considering a reduction in salary as a trade off for the enhanced job security of the public sector but there are still some very interesting opportunities for professionals to develop their careers,” noted Matt Anderson.

Although recruitment activity in the public sector remains more buoyant than the private sector, opportunities still exist for experienced communication professionals, particularly within some of the larger commercial organisations.

About Hays
Hays Marketing is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, specialising in a broad range of marketing jobs from pr jobs to digital marketing jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 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;
– the Group 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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Working as an in-house lawyer can amplify legal career horizons

According to the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, Hays, although recruitment activity has been affected by the downturn and slowed in the legal market as a whole, there are still opportunities for high calibre in-house lawyers. The market for interim roles, for example, is relatively buoyant and this route offers an excellent way to gain relevant experience as an in-house lawyer.

Lawyers need to be prepared and focused given the tougher market conditions. Strong technical skills and a track record of advising clients, either through prior permanent in-house or secondment experience, is a definite plus. Given the current climate, jobseekers can stand out by updating their skills in certain areas of legislation. “It is definitely worth brushing up on areas such as employment law, restructuring and insolvency work, and we would advise jobseekers to do so as these areas will be experiencing an upsurge in activity over the next 12 months,” noted Nick Creed, Business Director at Hays Legal.

He continued, “The downturn is throwing up some good interim opportunities to cover absences, such as maternity leave”.

Jobseekers must make sure that they are well prepared as competition for roles is intense and they must be very clear about the reasons why they are applying for a particular role. There should be a strong focus directed on the interview process, as thorough preparation will set applicants apart and ensure a better chance of securing a role. Keeping an open mind and not having preconceptions about a particular industry sector is also important.

“It’s as much about the people you are going to be working with as the actual industry itself,” explained Nick, “so keep your options open and explore available opportunities in sectors you may not have otherwise considered.”

Moving to an in-house role from private practice is another viable option and one where transferable skills, such as customer relationship management, will prove beneficial and facilitate the transition. In-house lawyers are involved in many different aspects of strategy, which not only requires a solid understanding of the business but also the communication skills to strip down often complex legalese.

While prior experience is an advantage, any previous in-house exposure will be advantageous. Asking for a secondment to a client, if working for a law firm, is one way of gaining experience. “This can be an invaluable stepping stone, even if it is just for three months, as you are cementing your understanding of what an in-house lawyer actually does on a daily basis. The key is to keep your private practice experience as broad as you can.” Advised Nick.

About Hays

Hays Legal is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in legal jobs including legal secretary jobs and paralegal jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. On 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

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The public sector is increasingly becoming an employer of choice for PAs

Hays, specialist recruiter, reports that although recruitment in some areas of the commercial market has slowed, the demand for PAs in the public sector is holding firm. A number of opportunities are being created, particularly temporary positions, in the health, central government and education sectors.

The public sector is increasingly becoming an employer of choice for PAs, primarily as a result of added job security, pensions, and work-life benefits. For example, some Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are currently embarking on a programme of recruiting permanent staff.

“As well as a buoyant demand for temporary positions in the public sector, we are experiencing growth for permanent PA roles, especially within the education sector, which is evident in the roles we have recently recruited to. This trend is also reflected in those being advertised in the press,” commented Bethan Robbins, Regional Manager for Hays Secretarial.

Despite the economic backdrop, there are good opportunities for PAs with a commercial background to enhance their careers and gain new experiences by moving into the public sector. While prior experience is sometimes seen as an advantage and is preferred in some cases, skills can be transferred from one sector to the other. This has been borne out by recruitment volumes.

Bethan Robbins explained: “We have seen an increase in the number of candidates with commercial or banking experience, applying for advertised jobs online, and subsequently registering with Hays Secretarial. It is, however, important that PA jobseekers have a solid grasp of the challenges and demands of the public sector and understand how the various organisations operate.”

The health sector is one such sector where there remains a strong demand for temporary staff. However, the demand for experienced medical secretaries working on temporary placements can fluctuate depending on the time of year and is a trend that Hays has been seeing throughout the whole of Greater London.

A previous Hays survey revealed that the interest generated in public sector jobs has increased significantly: almost three in four respondents are now more likely to consider a move to the public sector than at the same point last year. The majority are also prepared to take some form of pay cut in exchange for improved job security within the public sector. “Many of these candidates will consider a reduction in salary as the trade-off for job security in the current job market,” confirmed Bethan Robbins.

About Hays

Hays Secretarial is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in PA and secretarial jobs including senior, medical and legal secretary jobs. Hays is the market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. At the end of June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Hays has been proclaimed as the Best Performing Plc at the Recruitment International Awards 2008

Hays, the UK’s leading specialist recruitment consultancy, which has a number of offices throughout the country, has been proclaimed as the Best Performing plc in a national awards ceremony. The recruitment consultancy managed to beat strong competition to win the highly acclaimed category at the Recruitment International Awards 2008.

To win the highly coveted award of Best Performing plc, Hays successfully demonstrated that it was continuing to perform extremely well and manage to outperform its competitors, despite the current economic climate. The awards were judged by 14 of the top industry professionals and sector specialists, including analysts and brokers. The ceremony took place at Madame Tussauds and was attended by over 200 special guests, comprising of senior directors from the UK’s top recruitment companies.

Tim Cook, Managing Director of Hays said: “We are delighted to have won this award. We are always looking for new ways to better meet the needs of local employers and employees and pride ourselves on strong customer service levels, an extensive database and innovative recruitment methods, which allow us to achieve this. An award for best performance is a strong accolade, particularly in the current climate.”

The Recruitment International’s Awards are particularly highly regarded within the recruitment industry because they are won entirely on a company’s merit following selection by a panel of judges and a day of intensive debate where each judge selects their own top three for each award category, before the points are calculated and a winner emerges.

About Hays

Hays is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. By the end of June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 varied specialisms including recruitment for engineering jobs, nursing jobs and admin jobs.

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; 
– the Group 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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Hays Human Resources Has Revealed That Despite Companies Reporting Cautious Growth Plans, HR Professionals Are Still In Demand Across UK

Hays Human Resources latest salary guide by has revealed that despite companies reporting cautious growth plans across the UK, salaries have risen and demand for HR professionals is still outstripping supply – particularly in the interim sector.

Salaries have risen across the UK; a Head of HR can now typically earn £3k more than last year. However, research shows that employers may need to focus on employee career progression, personal and professional development, and the external reputation of the business over salary increases; the survey revealed that employees most commonly cited these as the fundamental reasons for looking for a new role. Furthermore, employees are increasingly looking for part-time and flexible working opportunities, when fewer organisations are prepared to offer this.

Alongside additional demand for strong HR candidates, evidence suggests that employers are now expecting more from them. Individuals who offer proven commercial acumen, a track record of leading business-critical projects and client-facing experience are most in demand. There is currently a 5% growth in HR officer and HR advisor roles and a shortage of candidates to fill them. Some specialist roles are also proving a challenge to recruit for, specifically those in reward and strategic resourcing. At all levels, the CIPD qualification is demanding a salary premium.

Heidi Waddington, Managing Director at Hays Human Resources, commented: “At a time of uncertainty, HR professionals often come to the fore; the focus is on improved retention and enhanced productivity, this can often be achieved through effective training and development initiatives. Where redundancies are unavoidable, the HR community can manage this process with minimum risk, ensuring best practice and the best possible outcome for all parties.”

About Hays Human Resources
Hays Human Resources is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. By the end of June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms including recruitment for marketing jobs, legal jobs and insurance jobs.

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;
– the Group 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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A Good Recruitment Consultant Can Help You Identify Your Options And What It Would Take To Make The Change

Even when work is just a means to an end to pay the bills, it’s important to enjoy as much of it as possible as it’s where most of us spend the bulk of our waking hours.

Most people feel they are in the wrong role, underpaid and undervalued at some stage in the week but the hardest thing of all is knowing what might make things better.

Sadly, the laugh a minute job doesn’t exist for most people, and the scope to be a racing driver or a supermodel is severely limited. But no-one should routinely dread getting up in the morning on weekdays, and if they do, they are probably in dire need of a change.

The secret to getting the most out of your job is knowing what’s important to you, according to the experts at leading recruitment agency, Search Consultancy. For some this might mean freedom, and for others it might be routine. Some like personal challenge and some thrive on teamwork.

Sadly, many people are reluctant to leave the devil they know to explore what else might be open to them. But the consultants at Search argue that a good recruitment consultant can help you identify your options and what it would take to make the change.

Sarah McParland, Director with Search said, “A good recruitment consultant is not in the business of putting round pegs into square holes and will spend time with candidates exploring their strengths, skills and ambitions before putting them forward for a role.

“Just as importantly, they will have taken a clear brief from their client about the job on offer and what sort of person would do well there. This takes into account the culture of the organisation and the make-up of the team in which the candidate would be assigned.

“There’s no point in putting a quiet, methodical character into a lively, unstructured environment if that would make them unhappy. And that holds true whether they have the technical skills for the job or not.

“At Search, we don’t just look for a match of paper qualifications, we look for the best fit available between the candidate and client.”

To achieve this, Search offers one to one interviews to prospective clients at all levels. They can also use psychometric or other testing methods to assess candidate suitability, always with the aim of finding a good match.

A good recruitment consultant helps individuals to be realistic about their options and will advise on any skills gaps which the candidate might need to work on to achieve their goal. There’s no point in just wishing for the moon and it can be a revelation to some people just how easy it is to make a change which suits their current circumstances much better than staying in the same old rut.

McParland adds, “It’s not unusual for people to investigate their options and decide that all they need is a change of firm or culture to give them back their drive. Sometimes, a different boss or change of hours and conditions is all that’s required. At other times, a radical revamp of lifestyle and goals is in order. No two people are the same”.

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Joslin Rowe Have Revealed That Product Control Will Become An Ever More Important Function Leading To Changing Product Control Job Specs

Joslin Rowe, one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms, have released research that suggests the type of candidate most likely to be hired into a temporary product control job is going to change, following a warning from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) that firms need to maintain their valuation and product controls more stringently.

Tom Forrest, associate director of Joslin Rowe’s temporary accountancy & finance recruitment division, clarifies: “The UK Financial Services Authority has issued a ‘Dear CEO’ letter, cautioning banks and investment firms with trading operations that they will be visiting in the first half of 2009 to focus on valuation control processes. For many firms, this will be the impetus to change the type of person they look for in both temporary and permanent product control hires.”

According to Joslin Rowe research, product control departments have evolved enormously in the last 5 years and because of that, the parameters of product control careers have changed.

“Over the years, the number crunching of profit and loss figures have all been offshored,” explains Forrest. “Today, the typical temporary product control job in the UK market is a very analytical and risk orientated position. Product control job specs are asking for a totally different class of person for what’s essentially seen as a new breed of role.”

The current climate of concern over risk exposure and writedowns will also add fuel to the demand for strong product controllers.

“Confidence can only return to the market when product valuations and controls are watertight,” believes Forrest. “The product control function will be vital in achieving this. Candidates need to demonstrate, at interview, that they can build robust relationships with the trading floor and can control the big personalities that often dominate.”

Forrest predicts that the market will see a real shift in the type of temporary product control jobs being recruited for over the remainder of the year.

“Obviously, there’s a massive amount of market caution, so hiring the right staff to support a more rigid infrastructure, whether that’s on a temporary or permanent basis, will be the main focus” states Forrest. “Anyone with product control experience typically gained within overseas banks or securities firms, who’s risk aware with a strong attitude, will find themselves in demand for any temporary product control jobs on offer. It’s worth noting good candidates are still securing multiple job offers even in this difficult market. Rates aren’t dipping either, at up to £500 a day for a temporary product control job.”

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SAPCAreers.com—SAP employment portal service

Specialists always produce better quality service and have a wider range. That’s the approach of the leading SAP employment portal service SAPCAreers.com when tackling the big players in the employment industry.

Focusing solely on work in the SAP sector, SAPCareers.com provides an excellent set of tools to help facilitate the perfect match between employer and job seeker.

One tool allows SAP job seekers to upload their resumes which then become searchable via parameters such as category and location. SAP professionals also list their skill set & experience which all combine to produce a detailed profile which potential employers and recruitment agencies can run through.

Christian Wade of SAPCareers.com is confident that by providing job seekers with the option to advertise their skills makes it an easy task for employers and recruiters looking for a suitable candidate.

“I would encourage job seekers to spend a good amount of time polishing up the resume and making sure that all relevant skills & experience are clearly listed. We have a lot of recruiters who work specifically in finding SAP clients so they really do know what they’re looking for.” said Wade, stating that the website currently has a database of over 2000SAP resumes online and near 7000 registered SAP job seekers.

Wade also added that there were benefits also for recruitment agencies. “There are general job websites where the audience isn’t very focused into a specific sector. In my experience, the real professionals in each industry avoid the general websites and are more likely to use an industry specific website. I feel that they have more confidence in a website that’s dedicated to their industry. When you post a job on SAPCareers.com you know for sure that anyone that visits the site is a SAP candidate.”

He further said that recruitment agencies are always trying to get the best candidates for each role, to keep their relationship with the employer at a high level. “As a recruitment agency, if you’re sending A grade candidates to the employers for positions then you’re going to keep getting jobs to fill”.

SAP is experiencing tremendous growth, and there appears to be a shortage of qualified SAP staff with good experience. Wade says he hopes to increase the number of registered job seekers heading into 2009. “We’re looking at adding plenty of resources for the SAP community in the new year. We see a great opportunity to continue our work as one of the leading websites for SAP jobs and candidates.”

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Lack Of Career Opportunities Is The Main Motivator For Changing Roles In The Retail Sector

Hays Retail announced the results of a new survey carried out by the recruitment specialists Hays Retail and Barclays Commercial Bank revealing that a lack of career opportunities is the main motivator for changing roles in the retail sector.

The report, which aims to reveal the truth behind attracting talent in the retail market is the result of a programme of extensive research involving retail employers and employees.

Almost half (47%) of employees working in a retail job feel that they aren’t offered the scope to progress within their organisation and therefore, have to look elsewhere to move up the career ladder.

However, according to the report from the recruitment specialists, it seems employers have a very different perception. 80% of those surveyed feel they give their staff room to progress and two thirds believe that their staff have the skills required. Yet they still state in the survey a lack of suitable candidates as their greatest recruitment challenge.

According to Clare Kemsley, Managing Director of Hays Retail, for employers to attract – and keep – the best employees, “employers need to communicate and give more detailed information of what training and career development opportunities are available within their brand and set clear career paths from the outset, before their staff look elsewhere.”

Jane Galvin, a director in Barclays Commercial Bank’s Retail and Wholesale team, commented on the findings: “The report identifies a perception gap between what staff and employers think about opportunities for career progression. At a time when retailers need a motivated workforce to navigate challenging trading conditions, recruiting and retaining good staff remains key. The most successful companies will continue to be those who keep staff happy and tap into their customer knowledge which can help retailers quickly identify trends that will increase sales and customer retention.”

Retailers continue to look to e-commerce for opportunities, with 93% of respondents believing this sector still has scope for continued growth over the coming years.

“This new Guide gives a deeper than ever insight into the retail profession and the challenges facing employers as they go about attracting talent into their organisation,”concluded Clare Kemsley.

About Hays Retail:
Hays Retail is a subdivision of Hays Plc, the FTSE 250 Company which employs 7,753 staff operating from 376 offices in 25 countries across 17 specialisms including marketing jobs, finance jobs and legal jobs. Hays Plc placed circa 68,000 candidates into permanent jobs and paid circa 46,000 temporary workers weekly during the year ending June 07.

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Hays Information Technology Surveys Senior IT Professionals To Find The Most Desired Skills From Employees In The IT IndustryHays Information Technology Surveys Senior IT Professionals To Find The Most Desired Skills From Employees In The IT Industry

Hays Information Technology, the UK’s number one IT recruitment consultancy, has conducted a survey targeting senior professionals to find out what the most desired personal and professional skills are from employees in the IT industry.

The survey, which was conducted with a number of companies throughout a diverse range of public and private sectors across the UK, found that candidates with a strong business awareness of both IT and non-IT issues, and leadership skills are the two primary factors looked for when recruiting middle and senior IT management. However, the ability to apply IT strategy to the wider business and possessing strategic focus, strong technical and industry knowledge also featured high up the list of desirables.

James Lloyd-Townsend, Managing Director of Hays Information Technology commented, “You need a proven track record and be up to date with the direction of technology. But you need to think strategically, give clear direction and engage with people.”

As to sourcing the talent to fill their senior IT and networking jobs, the survey from Hays revealed that businesses use a mixture of direct advertising, websites, internal promotions and recommendations. The survey also showed that while most employers are satisfied with their current IT management teams, more than a quarter are currently recruiting and as many as six in 10 plan to bring on board new talent during the next 12 months.

Hays Information Technology also confirmed that salary demands remain the number one obstacle to placing the right candidate. However, the timeliness of the recruitment cycle, the total reward offering and external competition are factors that can adversely affect a candidate’s decision. It was concluded that the hiring company’s brand has a negligible significance while the IT function is fairly or very influential in leading business transformation and driving business strategy, goals and objectives.

About Hays Information Technology:
Hays Information Technology is the UK’s number one recruitment consultancy specialising in IT jobs. Working across a nationwide network of offices Hays Information Technology offers clients and candidates a highly specialised IT recruitment service for permanent and contract positions across all vertical markets, skill sets and levels of seniority.

Hays Information Technology is a subdivision of Hays Plc, the FTSE 250 Company which employs 7,753 staff operating from 376 offices in 25 countries across 17 specialisms including marketing jobs, nursing jobs and legal jobs. Hays Plc placed circa 68,000 candidates into permanent jobs and paid circa 46,000 temporary workers weekly during the year ending June 2007.

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