Friday, April 25, 2008

Featured Job - CONSULTANT

£60,000 + highly competitive -Based in London

We want to expand our team of consultants.
Whilst we specialize in energy, services and the construction sectors we cover all senior functions with a particular emphasis on finance directors, independent chairman and non executive directors. We would welcome consultants covering these sectors and functions but also more widely.
We offer a friendly, supportive, team-based approach to our work with excellent research and a highly competitive performance-based bonus structure.
To Apply for this job, click here - Consultant

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

REC calls for more focus on equipping jobseekers with basic skills

The REC has responded to the CBI’s annual audit of the nation’s skills, which showed more than half of employers were not confident they could find enough people with the right skills for their business.

Commenting on the result of this survey, REC Director of External Relations, Tom Hadley, said: “Evidence from REC research has well as the anecdotal feedback from members confirms that skills shortages and the lack of basic skills such as oral and written communication skills are a major concern and will often preclude jobseekers from accessing the labour market.

“The REC has welcomed the employer focus on training and qualifications that are provided to jobseekers but it is also crucial to continue focussing on ensuring the education system equips people with the necessary basic skills to integrate the world of work.”

The REC has continuously pointed out that recruitment agencies are uniquely placed to comment on where the demand for workers does not match the skills available.

Because of this, the REC is committed to working with Government and other key stakeholders to enhance the opportunities for jobseekers and to ensure that we have a 21st century workforce that enables the UK to compete in the global economy.

The REC is a member of the CBI and is represented on a number of its committees and working groups.

Among the key findings of the CBI/Edexcel Education and Skills Survey were:-

- 53 per cent of the employers survey said they lacked confidence in their ability to find enough people with the right skills for their business
- 40 per cent had serious concerns about employees’ basic literacy and numeracy skills
- 40 per cent said poor basic skills was having a serious impact on customer service while another 34 per cent said it had led to lower productivity
- 56 per cent said they were concerned about employees’ IT skills
- 59 per cent of firms employing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-skilled staff say they have difficulty recruiting with a low take-up of these subjects at university being part of the problem
- 36 per cent of larger firms are looking to recruit STEM graduates from India and another 24 per cent from China while 35 per cent of firms say they will look to Europe to recruit in the next three years.

Please visit www.careersinrecruitment.com for jobs in Recruitment.

Friday, April 18, 2008

UK Desperately in Demand for Qualified Professionals

A shortage of skills and the future of big projects look to insulate specialist contractors from the growing gloom of the credit crunch.

Engineering contractors look to avoid the credit crunch, thanks to the feverish demand for qualified professionals in the UK. A poll by giant group plc. suggest that this high demand will push hourly pay rates to increase and thus mean those in the engineering sector will dodge the credit crisis.

This poll indicated that only 3.9% of engineering contractors were predicting a decline over the next 12 years in their earnings. This only goes to further strengthen the need for skilled engineers in the UK economy.

Matthew Brown, managing director of giant group, commented: “The engineering sector has been relatively isolated from the effects of the credit crisis so far. Despite fears that bank financing for some projects would become harder to secure, the majority of projects are proceeding as planned.

“The aerospace and automotive sectors of the economy are still in robust health and there is a continuing shortage of candidates in these areas. On top of that, we have major construction on the Olympic site getting underway this summer, which will squeeze the labour market further and heap even more upward pressure on rates.”

There are a number of strong industries in the UK and the demand for individuals means that the recruitment industry will also be feeling the benefits over the coming years.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Recruitment Agencies Take the Strain Reveals new REC Research



New research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) Research Unit has shown agencies are beginning to pick up most of the strain generated by the current uncertainty within the jobs market.

The Key Recruitment Trends 2007 report, which contains the key findings of last year’s monthly tracking research, identified the fact that agencies were acting as “shock absorbers” in providing the labour market with flexibility during the present economic period.

Overall, the review results showed 2007 was another strong year for the recruitment industry with most indicators of satisfaction, performance and efficiency generally ahead of those recorded in 2006.

However, towards the end of the review period, significant changes in some of the data recorded signified a possible slowdown after a sustained period of economic growth.

Roger Tweedy, the REC’s Head of Research, said of the findings: “With the Unit’s tracking surveys in place, commentators and analysts will be able to monitor closely how the ‘agency model’ works to support the economy during a period of uncertainty.

He added that at this crucial time when agencies will be playing a critical role in economic progress, policy-makers and legislators should think very carefully before adding any extra pressures on agencies when they may already be starting to feel the “commercial heat.”

Key trends identified in the 2007 review include:
  • Employers continuing to use the same average number of agencies (2.5) as in 2006 although usage increased slightly towards the year’s end
  • Employers were less likely to “always use” an agency than they were in 2006, which was the case across most sectors and regions, especially among SMEs. Again there were signs of this trend reversing towards the end of the year
  • During 2007, employers across most sectors increased the use of temporary agency workers as a proportion of their overall workforce
  • Employers in most sectors were significantly more satisfied with their main agency in 2007 – a 20 point increase - compared to the previous year
  • The number of workers registered with agencies increased over the period while the number on assignment per branch remained broadly static
  • The number of workers registered with an agency varied considerably by sector and region
  • Agency workers generally found it easier to find work except in London
  • Agency workers’ satisfaction increased across all sectors and regions

The Key Recruitment Trends 2007 report isn’t out yet but will be published this month. For more information contact Maggie Pattinson or click here to visit their website.

Recruitment Leads the Online Market

In a survey released by the Internet Advertising Bureau the Recruitment sector lead the market in 2007.

The breakdown of industry categories revealed that the Recruitment sector continued to lead the market with 25.7% market share, up 0.9 points on the second half of 2006. Second was Automotive with 11.9%, while Technology (10.4%) overtook Finance (10%) for the first time to take third place.

Other areas of growth were Retail which increased by 1.7 points to 5%, as a result of a healthy e-commerce sector; with Consumer Goods (including FMCG) increasing to 5.3%, while Property climbed the ladder to break into the top five with a market share of 7.9%.

To view the full report from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) click here.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

National Work from Home Day: 15th May 2008


Home Sweet Home! For the 3rd year, the 15th May has been chose as National Work from Home Day, where an estimated 5 million people will not be making that commute into their normal place of work. The scheme, led by the likes of BT and TFL is organised by Work Wise UK to promote smarter working practices such as flexible, remote and mobile working, and working from home.

It is not a day off “It’s the chance for hard-working, open-minded people to demonstrate that without the stress induced by a workplace environment, with the often long commute many have to endure, people can be even more productive by occasionally working from home”, says Phil Flaxton, CEO of Work Wise UK.

For more information about National Work from Home Day and Work Wise Week, including the events planned visit http://www.workwiseuk.org/


Like the idea of working from home in Start Up Opportunities within the Recruitment sector?