Sanderson Recruitment plc

Guest Blog by Rob Cooper

2010-11-24T12:29:00.001Z

Having recruited within the IT + Business Change contracting sector for over 12 years, I can safely say that rate increases at the point of renewal are often a contentious and problematic issue. So I thought I’d play devil’s advocate and look at an issue that I believe is often overlooked by many contractors.

My question is: “Do many contractors consider the potential damage that requesting a rate increase could create?”

I’m not saying that asking for more money at renewal is always going to cause an issue, but I do believe that sometimes a client’s positive opinion of a contractor may reduce when they ask for a hike in their daily rate – especially if their role hasn’t changed, their responsibilities haven’t increased and their workload hasn't grown.

I can (and do) see it from both sides:

- the client doesn’t want to pay any more for a contractor than they currently are paying and don’t like being held to ransom (in their opinion) when a contractor has become business critical,

- and contractors want to ensure their rate is in line with market rates, or what they perceive to be their worth for the services they are providing (this is clearly a hard thing to measure!)

I think the problem often stems from the fact that, for whatever reason, many clients seem to take rate increase requests personally and sometimes hold it against the contractor for asking – whereas contractors see it simply as a business transaction for the provision of services and argue that negotiations like this happen across the globe in all industries.

One of my long-standing contractors (who has worked for me for over 8 years at a number of different clients) has always taken a pragmatic approach to his rate. “Rob, if my rate is a bit lower than most of my colleagues, and I don’t usually ask for increases at renewal, I’ve found that I tend to get renewed for a lot longer than most of my colleagues”. One of his contracts lasted for around four years, whereas the majority of his colleagues who were demanding 30-40% higher rates tended not to last much more than 6-12 months.

Was this due to their rate demands, or just because my contractor is better at his job than the others? Hard to say, but he’s convinced that his easy-going attitude to rates has certainly played its part and he has never been out of work for more than 2 weeks in over 10 years of contracting.

Personally, I think his success is due mostly to him being an excellent Project Manager, but I do believe that his stance around rates has helped.

I guess it depends on your own personal opinion, attitude and ultimately what drives you, as to what approach you adopt.

Many contractors are in the contracting business predominantly for the money, therefore they want to maximise their earning potential and will push their rates as high as they possibly can. If this causes ill feeling with the client, then so be it – they are here to manage and deliver a project for the client, not to make life-long friends!

Others like to work in a friendly, positive atmosphere without any ill-feeling so don’t want to push for a rate increase in the worry that the client might hold it against them.

And others (like my contractor mentioned above) take the pragmatic business approach that he will earn more money in the long-term if he is always in work at a slightly lower rate, rather than have a higher daily rate but risk not get renewed as often and being “out of contract” more often.

Sanderson have been announced as a finalist in the Jobsite RecrutRank Awards 2010

2010-10-22T15:08:00.005+01:00

On 9th November 2010, Jobsite will host the 5th annual RecruitRank Awards, celebrating those recruiters who are making their mark on the job seeking process through excellent customer service.

Each year, the RecruitRank Awards recognise and reward recruitment agencies who have demonstrated excellence in candidate service and communication over the preceding 12 months.

Sanderson Recruitment are delighted to be up for the Most Improved Recruiter Award.

This award category recognises agencies that have used their candidate feedback to change their business practices and ensure that they offer candidates the best possible recruitment experience.

Nick Walrond, Sanderson's Managing Director, commented:

"It's great to be recognised by our candidates and the fact that this nomination is a result of their response makes it all the more special to us. We pride ourselves on providing a high level of customer service and feedback from our candidates and clients is essential to enable us to continually learn and improve."

Unlike any other Awards in the industry, the RecruitRank Awards are based wholly on feedback from candidates themselves rather than industry figures. This year's winners were selected on the basis of 12 month's worth of feedback from job seekers.

RecruitRank is Jobsite's ground-breaking system that tiers recruitment agencies according to feedback from candidates. If a candidate has applied for a vacancy listed by an agency on Jobsite, they're invited to comment anonymously on four different areas:

• Overall impression of the agency
• Maintaining contact and updating you on progress
• Understanding your needs
• Knowledge of your industry sector

Keith Potts, Managing Director of Jobsite, said:

"The RecruitRank Awards give agencies the chance to celebrate their great customer service and be rewarded for looking after their talent. Not only that, the RecruitRank Awards provide recruitment agencies with real credibility in the eyes of employers looking for that elusive talent and more importantly reassure candidates looking for a recruitment partner they can trust."

Is the personality of a Project Manager important?

2010-09-29T17:52:00.005+01:00

By Guest Blogger, Rob Cooper

Whilst recruiting for technical positions, finding the ‘ideal’ candidate is certainly an easier 'science'. For example, if I’m looking for a .Net Programmer with strong SQL Server skills, it’s usually fairly obvious form looking at their CV if someone has had this type of experience – the hard part is in finding out how good their technical skills are!

However, when recruiting for non-technical IT Project Managers or Business Project Managers, I’m a big believer that it’s the personal traits of the PM at interview that play a big factor on the hiring manager’s decision.

Whilst the hiring manager is obviously looking for a PM who they believe has the experience to deliver the actual project, in my experience it is often equally as important for the hiring manager to connect with the candidate. For me that means assessing their personality traits and deciding if they have the right personal characteristics to deliver the project.

Whilst a lot of people like to think they can adapt their approach to most situations (and many can, to a point), I honestly believe that some PM’s personalities will be better suited to certain roles, and astute hiring managers will also be looking for these whilst interviewing.

I'll give you an example of two roles I have recently been asked to fill:

The first role is for a PM who will have to manage some very tough and demanding negotiations with a third party supplier. This is likely to require a different type of PM to the second role, where the biggest problem they will face is the project team, who have been falling out and failing to work well together.

The first role is likely to require a stronger personality, someone who is comfortable standing up to bullish supplier and can develop a good working relationship with them further down the line - once the supplier has understood that they aren’t going to get everything their own way!

The second role is possibly looking for a PM who has better 'soft skills. Someone who has good people skills and is capable of encouraging the team to discuss their issues and work together and create a positive working environment - ultimately getting the project back on track.

So my role as a recruiter is not only to identify who the good Project Managers are, but also to understand what type of personality traits the hiring manager is looking for and that best fit with the job in hand. This is one of the hardest parts of my job, and in my opinion the best way to get a good understanding of a candidate’s personality is to meet them face to face.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible (due to location and time constraints) but I do my best to meet as many of my core contractors as possible and it’s certainly paid dividends to both myself and the candidates – the ratio of people I’ve met and who I’ve placed in a contract is massively higher than those who I haven’t met. The problem I have is that I have to be fairly selective in who I meet, otherwise I’d never get any other work done!!

I’d be keen to hear your thoughts, especially from hiring managers – is this something that you consciously (or possibly unconsciously) look for whilst interviewing?

Will Social Recruiting Take Over?

2010-08-23T16:37:00.003+01:00

by Guest blogger, Will Boney.

Social media is a phenomenon that has rapidly percolated the English language and culture. But what will its real impact be on recruitment? Another revolution, or just a fad with a short shelf life?

Let's start with the advantages of utilising social media in recruitment. Firstly, it is more efficient. Organisations can use social media to find potential recruits much more easily by advertising vacancies and searching for recruits on LinkedIn, for example. However, LinkedIn and other social media applications can be used as much more than just a job posting site. Indeed, social recruiting can be used to increase effectiveness and forge new and deeper relationships between employees and employers. Rather than simply recruiting the person with the best-looking CV, social media can help a recruiter learn more about the candidate's personality and whether that person is the best fit for the company.

Technology is essentially being used to provide better quality links to potential employees and developing and maintaining relationships which can be tapped into at a later date. Social media is also being used to rate and compare employees, determine cultural fit and extend internal initiatives, like the referral scheme, to an external audience and more and more companies are now using it to compliment their hiring process.

It is interesting then, that despite the number of employers who screen a candidates' online profile, how many job seekers continue to make mistakes or fail to clean up their profiles, particularly at a time in the market that is so competitive.

A difficult dilemma

While social networks are undoubtedly here to stay - whether they become a more central part to the hiring process or not is yet to be proved. Either way, they are a resource that needs to be handled with care, using common sense and appropriate practices to avoid legal entanglements.
While the practice of using social networking sites to help screen candidates is littered with legal dangers there is nothing wrong with rejecting a candidate due to personal characteristics. However, if this information is obtained through a social network it is impossible to ensure whether all the information uncovered will be job-relevant.

In my opinion, the best employers and employees will stay on top of the evolving trends because social media is reshaping our business and having leading-edge technology is crucial. But it is also important to remember that the real value provided by quality recruiters will never be replaced. Screening, evaluating, persuading, assessing, negotiating, advising, consulting and acting as an advocate for employers will always have tremendous value. Bad recruiters will use technology to avoid connecting personally with talent, when in fact the real advantage of technology is to get much closer to many more quality candidates.

Calling all Business Analysts...

2010-08-10T17:41:00.004+01:00

This year we have partnered with the IIBA UK to run the inaugural South West branch IIBA event at the Clifton Club, Bristol. (It's a free event, run on a first come first serve basis and places are already filling up fast!)

The business analysis profession has evolved significantly over the last couple of years in the UK and the valuable contributions made by Business Analysts are now becoming recognised at every level across all industries. Business analysis is now the central discipline for defining creative and agile options for business change and ensuring that solutions meet business needs.

This event aims to bring together Business Analysis specialists from across the South West and beyond, providing a platform for promoting the BA profession and opportunities for BAs’ professional development.

Included in the itinerary is an interactive forum to learn from leading industry experts about the role and future trends of business analysis. As usual we have secured two inspirational guest speakers. Michael Brown will be tackling the subject of Dysfunctional Meetings, while Lynda Girvan poses the question, Do Requirements Still Matter in Agile Development? (see below for full details and Speaker Bio's).

Each talk will last approximately 40 minutes with additional time for Q&A's.

This will be followed by:

A brief address from Sanderson Recruitment about how we pro-actively work with both Business Analysts and Employers to help them achieve their business goals.
a chance to discuss any topics that you would like to be covered at future meetings.

You are then cordially invited to join us for the complimentary buffet and further informal discussion at the bar…we look forward to seeing you there!

Registration
Places are limited for this event, so you are advised to register your interest as soon as possible.

To register please click here.

Map and directions can be found here.

Do Requirements Still Matter in Agile Development?
Lynda Girvan - UK Government

Requirements do still matter and are an essential part of agile development. In an Agile world scaling requirement management and processes across an Enterprise is difficult. This presentation takes you through some experiences, from UK Government, of requirement anti patterns and focuses on how a 'just in time' approach throughout the requirement management stack can deliver improved business benefit. By attending this session delegates will:

Understand the problems for Agile requirements and review some anti patterns for Requirements such as:

Big Requirements Up Front (BRUF)
Change management becoming change prevention
Heavy weight process and Requirement Police
Understand Key concepts of agile requirements and how this can provide improved Governance
Introduce concepts for Managing Requirements at Scale

Lynda will also share her experience of how she is helping her organisation to improve it's Requirement Management processes across the Enterprise in order to support a lean and efficient approach to delivering agile Requirements@Scale.

Bio Lynda Girvan is an experienced Business Analyst who has over 20 years experience in UK Government and 11 years software Engineering experience in UK Government and Australian Defence. Lynda has specialised as a Business Analysts working in enterprise and strategic modelling and analysis through to product level consultancy and coaching and has solid experience throughout the product development lifecycle including development, system analysis, project management, requirements management and business change.

As well as being an active member of the International Institute of Business Analysis she is also an Examiner for the ISEB Business Analysis Diploma on behalf of the Chartered Institute for IT. Lynda also represents her organisation at the IBM VoiCe events for the Requirements toolset and is a reviewer for the E-Skills Business Analysis specialism.

Please register by using the following link: click here

Dysfunctional Meetings: Kill or Cure!
Michael Brown

"Most of us spend more time than we would like in meetings of one sort or another, either face to face or remotely. The time spent is not usually described as "productive", and in fact more typical descriptors are "frustrating", "inefficient", "unproductive" or worse.

This session is designed as a wake up call for those of us who may have, as our presenter Michael Brown describes it, "fallen asleep at the wheel". There are some dysfunctionalities which creep into meetings which lead to these negative results. Given the sheer amount of man hours we invest in them, we need to do something about it. This session will give you some thoughts on how to do so.

We will cover how to get buy in and clarity from the start. How to manage the time. Deal with time wasters. Produce action. Reduce the pressure on you as meeting leader. And maybe even help you to reduce the number of meetings you attend, using Michael's well proven "meetings pushback tool"!

Bio Michael is an acclaimed public speaker around the world. He runs his own training business specialising in negotiations and conflict resolution. He has given several sessions for us in London, with great feedback. Not to be missed!

Please register by using the following link: click here

Cloud Computing – Changing the Landscape of the UK’s IT Job Market?

2010-07-27T15:37:00.005+01:00

The Current Cloud Landscape

Cloud computing is one of today's hottest IT trends, because it's all about saving money and simplifying the lives of users. In cloud computing, large pools of computer systems share an IT infrastructure, enabling products, services and solutions to be accessed and consumed in real-time over the Internet, typically via a subscription model.

Moving all your databases, systems and software onto an internet-based platform rather than running it through expensive hardware platforms, cloud computing breaks the traditional and costly model of IT purchasing and implementation. Rather than being tied to rigid licensing models for under-used technology, it allows the business to make use of an internet-enabled form of technology provision. Through such an approach, businesses can flexibly purchase IT resources across a range of areas, and on-demand.

But scepticism about the potential benefits of cloud computing remains. Research from CIO Connect, a members’ group for CIOs, says that as many as 58 percent of technology heads it asked do not believe cloud computing is changing how IT is delivered.

The biggest inhibitor to the uptake of cloud services is security. Many IT heads believe cloud computing does not offer a secure environment for the type of applications required by the business. And while cloud computing offers business potentially huge cost savings and productivity gains, concerns about the extent to which sensitive information should be held online, beyond the confines of the corporate firewall, are currently preventing many organisations from tapping in to these benefits.

Our resident Software Expert, Stuart Adams, commented, “Maybe in this new age of austerity the concept will be researched deeper and pushed harder by large and small businesses, there are certainly benefits on offer, including cost, space, maintenance and access to large forms of information.”

“However, there will also be pitfalls to overcome such as security, legal ramifications and privacy which could limit this technologies effectiveness. I would also say that within software development there is a clear sense of ownership supported by a level of protectionism, people who develop applications can be fiercely competitive and protective about what they have developed or are developing.

“For example, If Lloyds TSB have a great trading system then HSBC will develop a better one, it's a bit like architects competing for the best building design. It could be argued that the concept of cloud computing may eliminate this competition and protectionism, qualities that I think have been vital in driving the IT industry forward!”

How will Cloud Affect the UK IT Jobs Market?

Cloud has been and continues to be a huge driver for the IT sector, and while job losses are an inevitable part of any change, so should job creation arise out of this evolution. Cloud computing will probably be a good thing for IT job growth overall, but there will be some growing pains.
The ability to streamline and cut costs through virtualisation, automation and simplification of software setup usually means IT departments can do more with less in certain areas, but it also means that funds can be freed up and can potentially be reallocated to other areas of IT where more personnel are needed.

In addition, if more companies are taking advantage of cloud computing, the vendors that provide these services and related infrastructure are going to have to grow to keep up with the demand. A quick search on a job site like Indeed.com will demonstrate that several IT vendors are interested in ramping up their cloud computing efforts, and are hiring accordingly.

What do the IT Professionals say?

UK IT professionals are generally optimistic that cloud computing will result in more jobs, according to a new study by IT jobs specialist CWJobs.co.uk.

CWJobs.co.uk found that 40 percent of IT professionals believe the rise of cloud computing will create more jobs, compared to 28 percent who believe it will mean less. In addition, 70 percent believe cloud computing skills and experience will make them more employable.

Interestingly, there was a difference in attitude between generations, with 65 percent of those in their early twenties stating cloud computing will result in more IT jobs, while just 28 percent of those in their forties agreed.

The survey of 1,300 IT professionals revealed that less than half (44 percent) believe cloud computing will require specialist skills, however 75 percent felt they would need to gain ‘new skills and experience’ to work with the technology, suggesting a lack of understanding around exactly what will facilitate a job in cloud computing.

Says Richard Nott, website director of CWJobs: “It is encouraging to see that IT professionals recognise the career opportunities emerging from the rise of cloud computing. However, confusion evidently surrounds how candidates can best bolster their CVs for these opportunities.

“While it is not yet clear which specific skills will be useful for cloud computing, the majority of IT professionals do believe there will be a need to adapt to capitalise on the changing IT landscape and that now is the time to do this.”

Get Ahead of the Pack– Refocus & Become an Advocate

Irrespective of the advance of Cloud Computing, IT professionals must refocus if they are to be successful in meeting the needs of today's businesses, and must become advocates for how the organisation can exploit technology to best commercial advantage, rather than simply manage its performance.

In a world of doing business over social media-based tools such as LinkedIn and Facebook, that are inherently outside the control of the IT department, in-house IT departments are in severe danger of simply not delivering enough value to the business if they resolutely stick to the procurement and management of hardware and software.

As such, Cloud Computing cannot continue to be seen as the threat to jobs that many IT staff fear. It actually has the potential to increase rather than decrease opportunities for the IT professional – team members can be released by Cloud Computing from low-level technical roles into areas such as project management, business change and supplier management, where there is also more opportunity to transfer those skills to other projects, rather than remaining in a particular niche.

While it may not be an environment everyone will necessarily feel comfortable in, IT professionals must move from traditional IT thinking, based around managing machines and working to long release cycles, to instead managing projects, suppliers and service level agreements in a fast-changing technical environment. Cloud Computing, rather than posing a threat, could in fact offer the perfect catalyst for such a change.

Social networking sites - can they really help to boost your job search?

2010-06-29T16:54:00.005+01:00

By Guest Blogger, Holly Hudson

Trudging through the minefield that is a job-seekers landscape these days can be both daunting and frustrating. You can spend hours hopelessly scanning endless jobs sections of local and national newspapers and online job boards along with thousands of other hopefuls who are all vying for the same roles. How do you get an edge and stand out from the crowd?.

In recent years social media has transformed the way we live, work and play, it has been stated that over 70% of online users use social networking sites. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Myspace, Ning... the social networking realm is endless. And social networking sites seem to be taking the recruitment world by storm too. Employers are now using it to find and screen potential employees and jobseekers use it to promote themselves and network. So are networking sites really the best tool to help you find a job?

Although social network sites shouldn’t be used as the only way to look for a job or meet people in the industry, they can however be a constant hub of instant information, leading you to specific events, people and societies that you otherwise wouldn't be exposed to. With so much competition out there and limited jobs available, what you need is exposure and more importantly, exposure of the right kind. Social networking can help you get the right information in front of the right people. Gone are the days of filling out application after application. With the click of a button you get your profile in front of thousands of potential employers. However, you must choose your social networking site selectively. The big question is which one do you join and for what reason?

Here's a run-down of the top three, along with a few pointers:

Facebook- Also known as the 'king of social networking'. More of a social scene rather than a business site and can potentially be an unwelcome invitation for potential recruiters to see an unprofessional side of you. You might want to consider keeping your profile private and keeping any unprofessional photos off your profile. This network may be perfect one to give you instant access to a huge audience and provides a world of social events, parties and occasions at the tap of your search icon.

Twitter- Still a fairly young network, however it is rapidly growing in size. It allows you to make constant and quick updates and allows you to ‘follow’ others and link to their contacts. People to follow that could be useful might be recruiters, jobsites, career experts and companies. Keep your updates short and informative. Creating a profile that connects with your targeted audience can create interest but be careful not to overload it and above all include a link to your CV, blog or website.

LinkedIn- A real favourite amongst professional and job seekers alike. A chance to liaise with people in your field of work who might just have the job for you. LinkedIn also provides a great opportunity to find out about those who work within your industry and learning more about them and what they do in their day to day jobs. It is also a good way to reconnect with work colleagues from previous jobs or from past conferences and events. Try to avoid simply adding people you don't know and bombarding them with generic emails asking for a job – they will soon disconnect. Spend time nurturing the connections you have, they are much more likely to want to recommend you if they know you and you have a good relationship.

So to finish up, social networking sites can give you the competitive edge when job searching but please remember to market yourself correctly, be professional yet relaxed and stay positive. Good Luck!

What's Your Brand Doing For You?

2010-06-18T17:20:00.006+01:00

In a climate of skills shortages and severe competition for the best potential recruits, how do you best stand out from the crowd? An employer brand has the ability to attract and retain the right people, influence productivity, engage, motivate and innovate. Employer branding highlights the importance of taking the hiring process seriously and the rich rewards it will bring if you get it right. All employers, regardless of size, location and structure, have an employer brand, but many organisations lack the time, resources or knowledge to form a powerful strategy for their employer branding.

Good employer branding has a huge positive impact on an organisation's profile, attractiveness and strength. It's not just about about logos and clever adverts, it's about engaging with job applicants and promoting your organisation as an employer of choice, consistently through every aspect of the recruitment cycle. The way in which a candidate is treated during the recruiting process has a long lasting impact on your recruiting success and ability to attract top candidates.

In a nutshell, your employer brand is the voice and image of the communication you implement to attract and retain employees. It is what identifies you in the marketplace; it's what makes your company distinctive.

Still not convinced it matters? - Five reasons why employer branding really works:

1. Shortage of skilled labour: As the number of possible choices job seekers can make is becoming even greater in the marketplace and as globalisation impacts increasingly, employer branding strategies prove critical. Employer brands act as a psychological trigger in candidate's heads. These are very powerful triggers in the job market and can play a key role in candidate's job choice. Companies that are perceived to be attractive employers will have an easier time to recruit top talent.

2. More with less: a mantra coined during this economic downturn, there is high pressure to cut costs and increase productivity, which has made the need to get the right people in the right jobs even more crucial. Employer branding results in more successful recruitment and retention of top talent. Moreover, by properly communicating the reality of the work environment, companies are more likely to attract talent that fits their organisational culture, thus increasing the people with the right skills in the correct positions.

3. Growth & profitability: hiring and retaining top performers is essential for growth and to maintain a competitive edge. Employees who have the right skills, experience and knowledge, in relation to the critical areas of a business to drive growth, are strategically important. Bottom line, employer branding increases your profit margin.

4. Popularity: research on the talent market reveals that people want to work for companies with great reputations, and they often turn to family members, friends or colleagues for advice and approval when making a decision about which employers to consider. In addition, the consumer/corporate/employer brands are becoming intertwined. If a company is viewed as being an unpopular employer, it will consequently affect everything else and cause disequilibrium in the corporate ecosystem.

5. Strength: being an attractive employer provides a company or organisation more bargaining power, as employees will want to work for them more than anyone else, even those that have rare and in demand skills - irrespective of salary levels. In addition, good employer branding is constantly maintaining an image of being the most desirable employer, and giving the right reasons or incentives to attract the best candidates.

Remember that the actions and activities of organisations are becoming more visible due to the increasing number of people joining and posting comments on social and business networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Employees and job applicants will continue ranking companies based on a higher level of internal insight into the company gained on online communities. As a result, businesses that promote good employment branding and communications coupled will, in the long term, feature high on the “best places to work” lists and their employees will act as ambassadors of their brand. Every aspect of how prospective candidates are handled.

Of course, it is not just the communications aspect of the recruitment process that needs to reflect the employer brand. Every aspect of how prospective candidates are handled is worthy of consideration from the moment they make contact with the organisation through the selection phases to the subsequent offer or rejection. By recruiting intelligently and selectively you can better develop employee branding. Once your employees understand your brand and objectives—and buy in—they’ll be in a better position to act as ambassadors for your brand.

Time for the Public Sector to get Lean

2010-05-27T10:20:00.004+01:00

So far the public sector has been cushioned from the impact of the recession, but it now faces £6bn in cuts. Drawing on the experience of the private sector in attracting and engaging employees during the recession to deliver much-needed change could help the public sector minimise the pain of spending cuts. Times have been and remain tough. The new Government's plans to cut spending are immediate; we have reached crunch time and the public sector will be under enormous pressure to create leaner organisations.

Private employers have come out of what we hope has been the worst effects of the recession, having managed to keep many more people in jobs than had been expected. This has been largely down to the flexibility and goodwill of staff who quickly adapted to emergency measures, including pay and recruitment freezes.

Radical thought and new approaches are now the only hope in satisfying the need to reduce costs and minimise the impact on the UK's employment figures. It's a time for entrepreneurial people management. This will be tough but not impossible. Adaptability is not new to public-sector organisations. Habitual restructure and reorganisation means they are adept at handling change, maybe more so than other sectors.

In our view there are four key actions that could make a difference for public employers, in both the short and long term:

Make sure you have a clear strategy

First-class planning and an ability to move quickly both in thought and action are just some of the skills that will be essential for senior managers over the next few years. When it comes to strategy, impact is needed now but not at the expense of long-term vision. With staff costs often the most significant cost for organisations, the immediate knee-jerk reaction may be to cut jobs but there are alternatives such as pay freezes, pay cuts, flexible working, reducing overtime and expenses.

Tap into existing talent pools

The rationale for redeployment is compelling. Realigning skills and expertise to the areas where they can make the most impact is critical to protecting the quality of services provided and, if undertaken successfully, can result in significant cost savings.

Future-proof the organisation

Establishing the ‘new world' requires alignment at an executive level and engagement throughout the whole organisation. Countless studies have provided evidence of the value of engagement. Key to this, of course, is the ability to connect your own role, contribution and development to the success of the organisation. Helping managers and leaders tap into strategies to manage and lead change is a key component of any transformational agenda.

Keeping people focused

Keeping people on track, contributing and focused on key activities are the mainstay of Employee Assistance Services. Providing immediate support, access to counselling via the telephone, online and face-to-face where needed will keep employees living and working well and achieving more at a minimal cost to the employer.

Strong leadership

Finally, strong leadership is going to be crucial. Leaders who can communicate their vision for the organisation with clarity are going to be best placed to steer their organisations through these difficult times.

Text Updates from the MD's 100 Mile Walk in the Cotswalds!

2010-05-13T11:34:00.017+01:00

17th May - He's Back!

Matt, Jon, Rob and Nick

Here's Nick's round up:

"So, having spent the night in Bath on Wednesday we were up at 5.30am for a light breakfast, setting off on our walk at 6am with a spring in our step. Coming out of Bath there are some vicious hills and beautiful views. All this was taken in our stride, so full were we of vim and vigour. We got to the rest area of the Bath M4 junction well before 12 and were making very good time – the chap in the caravan even gave us a free cup of tea – life was good!!

The day was getting hotter though and as the hills came thick and fast our pace began to slow a little – and whilst I am sure the hill forts are very interesting around Chipping Sodbury, they proved tough to climb up and down in quick succession. By the time we got to Hawkesbury Upton, the pace was beginning to tell. We have covered over 25 miles in 8 hours of solid walking – which in hindsight was too much without a break – although Pie and Chips all round re-invigorated our group and off we headed to make Dursley for supper.

The journey took in some wonderful scenery and lovely villages, but was somewhat wasted as the inevitable blisters and chaffing began to impact our group one by one – as we hit Wooton Under Edge a particularly fine blister on the ball of my foot exploded, slowing my pace to the point that I was overtaken (at pace) by a lady pushing a double baby buggy up hill!

So it was we limped into Dursley and spent the night in a B&B that can only be described as a pretty eccentric ! With very little choice on offer the evening meal was a curry followed by isotonic ale in The Old Spot (a highly commendable pub that we were all sadly too tired to enjoy!). An early start on day two began with the application of a high number of blister plasters, and a mighty fine cooked breakfast courtesy of Cecilia our slightly strange host.

Compeed blister plasters are miracles – I am pretty confident that I could not have survived without them and whilst they do not take any of the pain away they do make sure things don’t get worse (we had cleared out the local Tesco of their entire supply!). With aching muscles and sore feet we limped out of Dursley to face some very steep hills as we made our way towards and around Stroud.

On the walk out of Stroud there are some spectacular views across the Severn valley – had I not been grimacing with every step I am confident I would have enjoyed them. It is on this section of the Cotswold Way, between Stroud and Cheltenham, that some of the more steep hills occur, it is also where whoever planned the route playfiully tries to take you miles out of your way to enjoy a view when there is plainly a much more direct route that can be taken (I cannot go on without admitting that we merrily ignored some of their suggestions in favour of a more “sensible” route!!).

Eventually we arrived in Cheltenham utilising public transport to ferry us from the Cotswold Way into the town centre where we were staying (very green). Friday night's sustenance was Italian (carbo loading), but we cut a very sorry picture as we limped into the restaurant, however the recuperative effects of several bottles of Chianti are well known and we were feeling better by the time we left! Saturday arrived and the final leg of our journey, Cleeve Hill is a massive slope coming out of Cheltenham with a broad plain on its top. Once again, the route's designer wilfully encourages you to walk around its circumference. However, being of higher intelligence we opted for a slightly quicker route.

Once passed Cleeve Hill we went on into what I would call the proper Cotswolds, beautiful sandstone villages typified by what you imagine a Cotswold village to be. All of us were walking on sore feet with aching bodies but you achieve a kind of numbness in these circumstances which enabled us to enjoy the countryside we were walking through (if you ever have inclination to walk the Way this section is highly recommended).

With Chipping Camden not far off, and the end of our walk near, a new spring was in my compatriots steps, unfortunately for me my own feet were deteriorating fast and as we arrived in Broadway, immensely busy on a hot Saturday afternoon, I looked very sorry as I limped up a busy high street. Coming out of Broadway you are faced with the longest climb of the walk up to Broadway Tower, some 320 metres high, the pain was significant and my stride had been shortened to about a foot to be able to accommodate my destroyed feet. The sense of achievement on reaching the top was significant, now only 5 miles of walking gently downhill to Chipping Campden!

View from Broadway Tower - you can see 11 or 12 Counties from here

However, the route designer has one last little play with you on the way into Chipping Camden and the route takes you on a needless detour back up hill and then across so you come into the village via a steep downhill slope. Having played rugby for many years and not having much cartilage remaining in my knees, any steep downhill slope causes immense pain and I felt my knees crunch with each step. This explained the pained expression clearly evident as we emerged onto Chipping Camden high street! The Noel Hotel beckoned though and after a few congratulatory words we were soon resting in comfy chairs with a pint of ale in hand, warm in the knowledge that we had walked from Bath to Chipping Camden in three days – an immense achievement.

I would like to very much thank the three guys I did this walk with, Matt Jon and Rob, for making pain seem so much like fun! I would also like to sincerely thank all those who have donated (over £2000 at the last count – which is amazing and beyond any of my expectations) who made the pain worthwhile. And lastly my wife and kids who came and picked me up and looked after me on Saturday night and Sunday when I needed it most! On a final note, if I ever suggest to do something like this again stop me! And if you ever consider walking the Cotswold Way, then do it, it is an amazing walk – but heed the advice and do it over 6-9 days, that way you will enjoy its many delights!!
...........................................................................................................................................

Friday 14th May, 2.04pm:

"A mere 16 miles to go until we hit Cheltenham but the pace has slowed somewhat so we are reckoning it will be 7 before we get there!"

Friday 14th May, 9.41am:

"Big Painful Hill...Double Ouch!!!"

Friday 14th May, 7.41am:

"Ouch - Running Repairs, not relishing today!!"

Thursday 13th May, 7.19pm:

"Got to dursley - 40 miles - feet are a complete mess of blisters, we have cleaned sainsbury out of blister plasters. The first 25 miles were good and since then it has been a real struggle. Off to fuel up and get good nights sleep before re-commencing tomorrow. Hardest day of walking I have ever done! Two more days to go!!!"

Thursday 13th May 10.45am:

"We are 15 miles in, crossing M4 now. Light chaffing only so far! Just stopping for a curly wurly break!"

If you would like to make a donation, big or small, click the link below to go to Nick's Just Giving page.

Why are you leaving your current job?

2010-05-12T17:41:00.005+01:00

It’s always tough answering questions about why you are leaving, left or willing to leave your current position. If you are having a difficult time with your work, workload or personalities at work, that’s not always the best thing to admit or explore.

Try to keep it positive. Negative answers, even if true are almost never in your favour in a job interview. Even if your current boss is a slave-driving control-freak, your future employer won’t want to hear it. Stating that your boss is impossible to deal with, while possibly true, has a high risk of backfiring – and making you appear as a potentially difficult employee.

Explaining the reasons why you want to leave your current job can be challenging. Be direct and focus your interview answer on the future, especially if your leaving wasn't under the best of circumstances. Instead of focusing on the negative, it may be more effective describing the underlying situations. Rather than complain about personal conflicts, could you make your reason into a positive and try:

“This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am not able to fully utilise them in my present job.”

Here’s some other good answers to this tricky question:

To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I saw this job posting and was intrigued by the position and the company. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal match with my qualifications.”
There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I'm ready to move on to a new challenge.
I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn't job hunt part time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time.
I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.
After several years in my last position, I'm looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge.
I am seeking a position with a stable company with room for growth and opportunity for advancement.

What answer would you give?

Thinking about a new job? Is it...

2010-05-06T14:48:00.006+01:00

The MD is going Trekking!

2010-04-30T16:30:00.006+01:00

Sanderson's MD is attempting to walk the Cotswolds Way and raise a bit of money for Pancreatic Cancer UK along the way.

The Cotswold Way is a 100 mile walk, which heads northwards along the Cotswold escarpment. It is not an easy walk but Nick is attempting to do it in just three days!!

GOOD LUCK NICK!

If you would like to make a donation, big or small, click on the link below to go to Nick's JustGiving page.

Resource Solutions Group (RSG) short-listed for prestigious Award

2010-04-29T11:18:00.002+01:00

Resource Solutions Group's successful brand launch and internal marketing campaign, ‘I’m RSG’ has been short-listed for Best Marketing Campaign in the Recruitment Consultant Industry Awards, sponsored by 1st Choice Software.

The RSG campaign relied on the passion and personal integrity of both senior leaders and their staff to shape and transmit our single-minded proposition, ‘Empowered Thinking, Proven Delivery’ and encouraged employees to feel their views were recognised and valued to increase their levels of engagement in the company.

Take a look at some of the RSG videos

“We tried to engage everybody into the new vision for the business. We drew upon our own staff’s personality, ambitions, experience and expertise and then used that information as a platform for developing and delivering our brand message. The beauty of this is that it allows RSG’s proposition to be personalised, instead of becoming some glossy corporate message that is delivered without adequate content. The feedback I have received from all areas of the company has been overwhelmingly positive. Through a smart execution the team have raised the bar and set new standards for internal communications.” said Mike Beesley, Director of Group Sales and Marketing.

The Recruitment Industry Awards judging panel met on Wednesday to sort through ‘the exceptionally high standard of entries’ and the Awards ceremony will be held at Grace in Great Windmill Street, London on the 3rd June, 2010.

The panel was chaired by Recruitment Consultant editor Jim Tanfield and was made up of TEAM UK’s Liz Longman, Elite Leaders managing director John O’Sullivan, Thomas International chairman and chief executive Martin Reed with Front Page Publishing’s Paul Harwood and 1st Choice Software’s Roy Snart.

Judges’ chairman Jim Tanfield said: “The standards for a majority of entries was exceptional and judges had their work cut out to find a winner in each category. There was something incredibly heartening about the diversity of entries, with small and large recruitment firms alike as well as the support services, wanting to celebrate their achievements following a turbulent economy.”

To view the shortlists for all five Recruitment Industry Awards categories, including Best Marketing Campaign, visit http://www.rec-con.co.uk/article.php/news/shortlist_announced/2726

Sanderson Recruitment is an RSG company

Come and visit us at JobServe Live! Bristol - 22nd April

2010-04-14T16:17:00.012+01:00

JobServe Live! Bristol will be held at the Marriott City Centre Hotel and is the one-stop event for adults to improve their career prospects. The show features a wide range of recruiting employers, universities and other training and education providers plus advice clinics, seminars, demonstrations and other features.

Visit the Sanderson team at stand 11 in the IT Zone:

• Not sure where to start? Meet with one of our career consultants who will help guide you through and get you on track in our Advice Clinic.

• CV in need of an overhaul? Visit us for a free CV review by one of our CV writing experts.

• Need some interview and assessment advice? We'll tell you what the UK’s leading companies are looking for.

• Looking for a job now? Visit us to find out about our immediate vacancies and find out what our recruiters have to offer.

• Career Presentations – Get invaluable advice on getting started, the secret to writing CVs and interview skills plus find out about careers in various different industries.

Other Exhibitors Attending the Event Include:

AXA
Bristol City Council
Brightside Group Plc
Clarity Resourcing
ECITB
Enterprise Rent a Car
Flair 4 Recruitment
JobServe
NFU Mutual
Raglan Housing Association
Sainsbury's Supermarket Ltd
Select Appointments
TABS Training
Total Learning Solutions
University of the West of England - solutions4recession

The event is open from 10.30am to 7pm and provides the perfect opportunity to speed up the job search process and meet candidates and recruiters from top companies face to face, adding value to the recruitment process.

With free of charge entry this is the adult careers event you can’t afford to miss.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2010 Elections - Make your view Count

2010-04-08T15:15:00.017+01:00

As election fever starts to grip the nation what will the reign of the next government mean for the recruitment and the professional contractor market? Would a change of government really help the labour market? Or do we need time to let the dust settle from what have been pretty tough times for us all?

This is certainly not the place for me to air my own political views, but one thing that I believe is vitally important (regardless of who forms a new government) is that several key questions that affect our industry are discussed.

I received an email from REC yesterday issuing a “call to arms” to recruiters. They have produced a manifesto laying out 3 key objectives that I definitely believe should be championed over the next few weeks:

Creating the right economic climate - The next Government must avoid increasing taxes on business to encourage investment and job creation. In the public sector, efficiencies must be delivered without reducing service to the public.
Removing Barriers to Growth - Businesses can drive growth and create employment if the regulatory environment is supportive. The next Government must remove barriers to growth by reducing and simplifying regulation and by championing the UK’s flexible labour market.
Delivering opportunity and jobs - Our jobs market is open, dynamic and flexible; this provides our economy with an international advantage. We must nurture this by building a highly skilled workforce and by harnessing the contribution of recruitment professionals in providing guidance for job-seekers.

From a recruiters' point of view, it is difficult to argue with any of these points and I certainly believe that any contractors who have an active interest in their own destiny should also champion this manifesto.

Commenting on the aims of the Manifesto and the role that recruiters can play over the coming five weeks, REC Chief Executive Kevin Green said:

“The Manifesto articulates the action we seek from the next Government and champions the role of the industry in creating prosperity and delivering job opportunities. Regular jobs market data and high profile initiatives such as the Youth Employment Taskforce and the Agency Work Commission have helped to position the industry as a major voice on employment and labour market issues. There is a real opportunity to build on this over the coming weeks.

One of the main objectives in developing the Manifesto is to enable recruiters to play an active role by helping to drive the industry’s own ‘campaign trail’. The run-up to the General Election is an important time for our industry to come together and ensure that our voice is at the forefront of some of the major labour market and economic debates.”

What's your view? Do you think the manifesto is spot on or a bit misguided? Are there any key points you think the REC has failed to pick up on? All comments welcome!

By guest blogger, William Boney : Sanderson's Business Change and Transformation Expert

The Key to Recruiting Success? Here’s a few tips to start you off…

2010-03-10T17:22:00.002Z

Employers: Choose Carefully…

If employers are dealing with dozens of agencies, this is because they have not established true, strategic partnerships with a couple of well-placed organisations, where both sides have taken time to invest in the relationship, thereby enhancing the likelihood of a successful hire in a shorter time period.

Where 'recruitment' is spread across multiple agencies, the process will be at best transactional, rather than strategic, and agencies competing to be first passed the post with a CV are unlikely to contribute added value to what should be an uncomplicated but value-rich relationship.

It is beneficial to organisations and agencies alike to encourage added-value consultancy to the recruitment function. Investment by both sides in the short term will nearly always deliver positive, sustainable results in the longer term.

Agencies: Know Your Clients…Know your Candidates…Know their Industry

The ability to find great people, understand them and build relationships with them should be the core competence of every recruiter. We at Sanderson believe that operating as true consultants helps us to win the trust of our clients and candidates based on our deep knowledge of the industry, their companies and their businesses needs.

Good recruiters understand that the value they offer clients is the “fit” of a candidate with a position, company, and culture. To do that successfully, you have to get down in the weeds and understand a company, a hiring manager, and a culture that company has. Ultimately this means we send out a much smaller number of CVs and don’t waste any of our client’s time with inappropriate candidates.

Agencies that blindly send out CVs in a battle to get them to their client’s first, without proper vetting, give others in the recruitment industry a bad name. Here’s a novel solution – why not try building good relationships with your clients & candidates first, so that when there is a need to fill vacancies fast you can do so effectively?

Recruiting in 2010? More Hints from the Experts:

2010-02-12T14:42:00.009Z

Back by popular demand… more helpful hints from the experts as to how your organisation can pick up the talent it needs to get it through the economic labyrinth ahead…

6. Hire in haste, repent at leisure

OK, as noted in the last blog, you’ve got to get a move on when planning your recruitment strategy for the recovery and beyond - but that doesn’t mean you should rush into the actual hiring activity too. Panicking when facing gaps in your team, or when worrying about letting a flood of new talent flow through your fingers, won’t help your organisation through the next months and years. Take a deep breath and ignore sudden rushes of blood to the head; hire with tomorrow in mind, not just the next five minutes.

“While the prospect of increased workloads may at first be daunting, employers must not succumb to the temptation to indiscriminately fill vacancies irrationally or as soon as possible,” cautions Adecco’s Steven Kirkpatrick. “Even when it seems that candidates are lining up at the door, employers should never rush into their hiring decisions. Just because they feel that time is not on their side; inevitably this will only impact negatively on other staff through increasing their workload and could affect the business in the long term. Poor hiring can be expensive too; often lowering productivity and in the worst cases employers may be forced to re-hire again if the candidate is really not up to the required standard.”

7. Be aware of the bigger picture - understand the recruiting sector

Obviously, it helps pretty much everyone in business to have an understanding of the broader economic picture; however, those working in recruitment should recognise the benefits of understanding not just those sectors into or from which they’re recruiting, but also the recruitment sector itself. Significant changes are occurring within the industry that affect both the market and the ways in which recruiters operate within it. Miss the bigger picture while you’re busy rolling out your sector-specific pitch, and you could also miss the boat entirely.

Robert Richards of Devonshire says that his company “is approaching the recovery conscious of two core themes. Firstly the sense that the 'War on Talent' continues unabated. Secondly; organisations should be (even) more flexible in the way they on-board their talent.

8. Using external recruiters doesn’t mean you don’t have to be flexible

There’s a definite temptation when outsourcing your recruitment to insist on very rigid parameters in terms of compensation and incentives for potential hires - but setting a price and sticking to it might not make the most of what your recruiters can do. Allowing a bit of flexibility into what your providers can offer, in terms of access to things like bonus packages, pension provision, healthcare offerings etc, might well mean they can secure top talent at a lower salary level than you’d budgeted for.

“Many clients seem to believe that the market is flooded with great talent and that as such they can stubborn with their demands,” warns Rob Grant of Dragonfly Recruitment. “Good people are still hard to find and employers who show flexibility - be it in working arrangements, remuneration or other aspects of the recruitment process - will find themselves more likely to find the perfect person.”

9. Look inside as well as out

As a successful organisation you’ve got to be confident of your ability to hire and retain talent right from the very first day it walks through your hallowed doors - so if you’ve spent all this money, time and effort on attracting raw talent why not try to utilise it when seeking to fill new vacancies? Especially if you have access to an internal talent pool.

“Employers should not overlook the possibility of internal promotions or re-structures. Although business cannot afford to “just leave it” when business picks up, employers should consider that they may have sufficient resources within. Be clear on just how much work there is to be done and who has the potential bandwidth to assist in a role outside of their original remit,” recommends Adecco’s Steven Kirkpatrick.

10. Make your voice heard, all down the chain…

Everyone wants the ear of the top brass - so ensuring you’ve got it becomes all the more difficult (and of course all the more important) - but it’s advisable to make sure as many people as possible, boardroom to postroom, understand the importance to the organisation of coherent and cohesive recruitment. After all, everyone can do their part to make the recruiting process and the talent-retention element as smooth and successful as possible.

“Smart hiring decisions will help build a more productive workforce with better retention; which in turn helps build good company morale and saves the company money in the long-term. Once the economy turns around, employee goodwill will be of paramount importance,” urges Nick Walrond of Sanderson Recruitment plc.

Recruiting in 2010?

2010-02-05T14:56:00.002Z

2009 was a tough year for a lot of us but many employers are now strengthening their operations in preparation for the economic recovery. So what can we expect from the recruiting market in 2010? Here are our predictions...

Increased vacancy activity - As employers sense new optimism in the market they are now thinking of long-term strategies to strengthen their business and this includes planning for recruitment during 2010.

Candidate movement - Following a particularly tough year, we will see a significant increase in the number of employed people changing jobs as their confidence grows. Some will be passive job seekers, tentatively keeping an eye on opportunities that become available. Others will look for their next step up.

Skills shortages - As we emerge from the economic downturn, the challenge for talent remains and will once again rear its head. Skills shortages will again become evident. Already there are shortages of particular skills. As the search for the best talent rises, the pool of available talent will diminish throughout the year.

Good employers will thrive - Employees were front-row spectators to their company’s recession response. During the downturn, the ‘good’ employers shone. They maintained their focus on their employees’ career development and staff relations. These companies are now viewed very positively by job seekers. They are well-placed to attract the top talent in 2010 as a result.

And here’s some helpful hints from the experts as to how your organisation can pick up the talent it needs to get it through the economic labyrinth ahead…

1. Generosity can save you money

It’s been very much a buyer’s market in recruitment recently - but that shouldn’t dissuade you from erring on the side of generosity when it comes to talking terms with the really top talent. Just because the market’s tightened up significantly in general terms, doesn’t mean the competition isn’t just as keen as ever to attract the very best employees - a refusal to budge on the top end of what you’re able to offer potential new staff could end up proving very costly as you either fail to secure that key talent or see it drift off over the horizon sixth months down the line, lured by a better offer…

“Offer a fair deal…and save money!” advises Nick Walrond, Managing Director at Sanderson Recruitment Plc. “Because there is so much competition for roles it is very tempting for recruiters to secure someone on a significantly lower salary than the current market value - but this is really just a false economy. Recruiting individuals is a big investment and having to replace someone is a waste of money, time and effort. It is really important to make sure that remuneration is commensurate with the market and that your new employee is truly happy with the offer. The reason is simply that you will risk losing that person as soon as another opportunity materializes which offers a salary more closely matched with their level of experience.”

2. Don’t go long-term if you don’t have to

Just as an increasing number of jobseekers are only looking for part-time or short-term contracts it might make sense for you to consider these options too. For many reasons - such as forthcoming M&A activity; possible transformation programs looming; new systems implementation; perhaps the possibility of an outsourcing deal shaking up some of your departments - your organization might want to maintain a fairly flexible headcount even at relatively high levels. Tying yourself down to long-term contracts when none is needed can be expensive, inefficient and unwieldy.

“If employers are unable to find the ideal candidate then they should consider alternative employment options. It may be most suitable to employ temporary workers that can quickly and easily come in and keep operations running as normal until a full-time solution is found. Alternatively, if workloads are likely to lessen in the near future, e.g. the work is seasonal then perhaps a longer-term contract worker would be a sufficient replacement during busy periods,” says Steven Kirkpatrick, Managing Director of Adecco staffing in UK and Ireland.

3. Be prepared for the “reluctant jobseeker”

Sudden changes to the economy shake up the job-market in many ways, but one of the most profound is the injection of new types of jobseeker into the fray. A wide variety of new experiences and new ways of thinking come into the picture for recruiting organizations - but they can be accompanied by a whole host of different challenges facing the jobseekers themselves…

“The issue of quantity has been fuelled the past two years by a new dynamic to the labor market: the reluctant jobseeker - the individual that has served an organization diligently for many years climbing the internal career ladder, performing different internal roles and earning a year-on-year salary increase to reward them for their loyalty. These are the ones that seem to struggle most; type-cast through a combination of the stigma of redundancy, not being considered for potential roles because their salary expectation is too high, they're unlikely to be sufficiently agile to 'fit' culturally into a new organization, they live in the wrong geographic location or they have not worked in the industry sector that the potential employer demands. Going forwards; both applicants and employers need to be willing to show flexibility and focus on positives and where value can be achieved,” according to Robert Richards of Devonshire Communications.

4. LinkIn - yesterday, if not before…

Get on LinkedIn, along with over 53,000,000 others - many of whom are actively searching for their next professional challenge. Social networking might still have a few “downtime” connotations in the stuffier corners of the business world, but this is business networking - and, really, if you’re not on LinkedIn by now what actually are you doing?

“Link with your LinkedIn network. Daily updates – indicating what you’re working on – update your network. Grow and manage your network daily. And, reach out to your network and search for potential matches to your jobs. LinkedIn is one of the most awesome tools to happen to recruiting in many years… use it and build it daily. If you’re not active on LinkedIn you’re probably not a serious recruiter,” enthuses Greg Bennett, global practice director for The Mergis Group.

5. … And put the pieces together with Jigsaw et al

Of course, LinkedIn isn’t the only online community recruiters should be aware of. There are plenty of other sites with useful data and helpful applications to assist you in your hunt for talent. Even a familiarity with less typically business-focused networks like Facebook and MySpace can give you an advantage by opening doors to specific interest-groups, geographies etc (not to mention helping with any viral marketing you might be deploying).

“Another great tool is Jigsaw,” says The Mergis Group‘s Greg Bennett. “Frequently you’ll see a profile on LinkedIn that really looks like a strong match and you’d rather not use an InMail for a variety of reasons. Jigsaw is, basically, a barter sight for business cards. I’ll see a name on LinkedIn and then search it on Jigsaw and usually find a direct phone number and email address for the person… very handy tool… While LinkedIn is my primary source site I also utilize others such as Plaxo, Xing, Facebook and to a much lesser degree, Twitter. ”

Next Blog: 5 More Hints From the Experts...

*Helpful hints from the experts first published by Jamie Liddell, Editor, Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON) - www.ssonetwork.com

Introducing Our Expert Bloggers!

2010-01-14T16:42:00.011Z

Stuart Adams - Senior Consultant & Team Leader - Software Development

Stuart has been with Sanderson recruitment PLC for nearly 11 years; after graduating from the University of Wales with a degree in business studies Stuart joined Sanderson as a resource consultant progressing to recruitment consultant, senior consultant and now team leader. Specialising in the recruitment of Software Development Professionals and Architects, Stuart’s main aim is to build trusting, lasting relationships with these individuals at all levels. Read my blog

Will Boney - Senior Consultant – Business Change & Transformation

Will is a specialist in the recruitment of high level business change consultants and directors for both permanent and contract roles. He has recruited interim business change directors for some of the UK’s leading financial services companies and manages some of Sanderson’s largest accounts. He has been with Sanderson since November 2000 and manages a team of eight Senior Consultants. Specializing in Business Change, Transformation and IT recruitment, particularly within financial services. Read my blog

Charlie Ten-Broeke - Senior Consultant – Infrastructure and Service Management

Charlie provides resourcing expertise to a large number of organisations, from FTSE 100 companies to variety of SME's. With more than 12 years experience in placing people with the infrastructure and service management space, recruiting individuals and teams of contract and permanent professionals for some of the UK's leading blue chip organisations. Read my blog

Mark Beale - Senior Consultant – Testing

Mark leads a dedicated recruitment team that is one of the most successful testing resource teams in the UK. He has worked with Sanderson for over 6 years and started his career in the PC Development Team. After building a successful vertical market team recruiting for Java Development contractors he became the Recruitment Manager of our Testing division in October 2008. Read my blog

Rob Cooper - Senior Recruitment Consultant - Project & Programme Management

With over 11 years recruitment experience, Rob is one of Sanderson’s most experienced consultants, providing recruitment expertise and resource to a large number of high-profile, blue-chip organisations and a variety of SMEs. Rob specialises in the Shared Service, Service Management, Project/Programme Management and IT Director sectors, and has built an extensive knowledge of the market and networks of high-level candidates and clients in these areas. Read my blog

Agencies, Job Boards and Social Media - Survival of the Smartest

2010-01-07T11:22:00.019Z

When the job market recovers who will be left standing?

Recruitment Agencies – no room for rookies?

There are thousands of recruitment agencies in the UK; the high-street chains, managed vendor suppliers, retained search firms and specialist job agencies to name a few. But as the jobs market starts to recover they will all start to fall into just two camps - those who can survive and those who can’t.

Evidence of this division is already becoming apparent. Whilst a number of generalist recruitment agencies have frantically been cutting back and shedding staff to counter the economic downturn, many well-respected specialist agencies are actually reporting an increase in their business. The reason? Simply put, these recruiters attract more client and candidates because they actually know what they’re talking about. They have years of experience in very defined fields and a clear understanding of the sorts of issues, the terms, the working conditions, locations and rates that relate to their specialisms. Being highly attuned to the specific needs of clients and job hunters enables them to attract and build a niche talent pool as well as having the latest and best vacancies in their field.

“Now, more than ever, agencies need to prove that they are a class act. A good agency should provide professional advice, they should know the market and perhaps more importantly, they should know their candidate and their clients. A good consultant is an expert in the their field, has a wide range of contacts and a proven track record in making successful placements.”
Nick Walrond, MD at Sanderson Recruitment

According to research the cost of mishiring an individual is 4-14x of their base salary and costs the UK economy dearly, estimates put the cost of managing poor hires at over £24 Billion (Future Foundations Report). The best recruiters are not born, they are made and developed and at no time is that development more important than during periods of recession. The days of mainstream recruitment agencies, with average recruiting staff, are numbered but there will always be a need for highly skilled recruiters. Those who manage to prosper despite the floundering economy are those who invest in developing and refining their recruitment skills.

Job Boards – the end of an era?

Online job boards kicked-off a mass migration of advertisers and job seekers to the highly efficient internet, offering additional benefits of speed, timeliness, reach, number of jobs, and ease of applying. But with these benefits came its own set of problems; a lack of relevant jobs that turn up in searches, vague job descriptions that don't identify the employer, poor service and non-existent client/candidate relationships. Meanwhile, recruiters started getting bombarded with vast quantities of cv’s from unqualified candidates. The features that initially made them so attractive -ease of applying for jobs - has actually now made them a bit of a nightmare for both parties.

Many are now predicting a complete job board meltdown in the face of social media recruitment using networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and blogging. But the reality for some job boards is that social media has actually come at just the right time to save them. Competition is fierce and savvy job boards are looking towards social media to promote their brand’s authenticity and transparency by providing them with the means of building relationships and conducting discussions on how they can improve their services.

And while the first-generation boards may be coming to the end of their reign, a new type of interactive boards is now emerging. These job boards are incorporating web 2.0 to engage with their market in the hope of securing a longer future. A good example of this new breed is The IT Job Board. As well as pioneering the first blog specifically aimed at the IT recruitment industry they also recently launched an iPhone application, helping candidates to search for jobs from the palm of their hand.

“The IT Job Board has embraced the use of social media to engage with the candidate market, utilising the new wave of communication channels to create ongoing dialogue and debate about the topics that matter to the IT community.”
Jamie Bowler, Head of Marketing at The IT Job Board

Any decent job board is run by people who understand their communities and those with the best services and content will be the ones who ultimately attract more clients and candidates.

Social Media – will we run out of time?

One of the best things about social recruitment is that it costs nothing but time. But could this mean that an up-turn might actually herald its own downfall? Last year many recruiters had lots of time and no budget. And it is likely that this has helped social recruitment grow. But what happens when these recruiters need to fill 50 vacancies instead of 2? Will they keep on chatting on twitter with every potential candidate?

Recruiters have been increasingly looking towards social media as a channel to engage and attract talent. The emergence of online social media has provided us with seemingly endless routes to new connections and nowadays we can find almost anyone on social networking sites, blogs and discussion boards. Although none really knows how to make a consistent return on the investment they make in social media, it has already become an important part of "the mix".

Greg Savage, CEO of International recruitment company, Aquent, and a regular keynote speaker at staffing and recruitment conferences across the globe said, "Those people out there who think it's the total future of sourcing candidates are deluded. It is not the total future."

Rather, it is a channel that allows recruiters to reach a large amount of people but it takes discipline, resources and time to make it work for you.

“You might get a candidate to express an interest, but the real skill of a recruiter is to try and convert that interested talent into a proper recruit for you or one of your clients. That is an age-old skill that has got nothing to do with social media; it's got to do with recruitment consulting skills." Says Savage.

And the Winner is?…

Agencies, job boards and online networking sites all have their own strengths and weaknesses and while there is still room for all three to happily co-exist within the market place, I predict that will be a lot of casualties along the way. When the economy recovers it will be the innovators who thrive. The biggest winners will be those who can successfully combine and harness the key strengths of these mediums to successfully reach, build and retain talent whilst providing an efficient and quality service.

Yes, we're in a downturn but the reality is that life goes on! People will continue to want to move jobs, many companies will continue to recruit and there is still plenty of scope for turning a profit in the recruitment industry. Recessions make all companies more efficient, part of which involves employing high quality staff. In an ever-changing marketplace this is a classic case of move on, adapt or die and there are no exceptions.

The 12 Do's of Christmas Job Hunting

2009-12-11T16:19:00.016Z

On the First day of job hunting…Be realistic

Competition is fierce so you have to accept that you will be up against a lot of people for every role you apply for. These are tough times for jobseekers. Many of the companies who are not actively laying-off staff are freezing recruitment. That said, the fundamentals of the job market haven’t changed, even if the odds are a little longer. Vacancies are certainly scarcer, but this just means that you have to be better prepared.

On the Second day of job hunting…Target your niche market

In the current climate it might be tempting to apply for every single job you are qualified for (and sometimes over qualified for) and just take whatever comes along first. You wouldn’t dream of being so unselective if you were house hunting so why do it when you’re job hunting? Instead of blindly sending out your CV’s to every Tom, Dick and Harry, target those ‘in the know’. Seek out agencies with consultants who a) really know what they’re talking about and b) have great contacts to ensure you get put forward for the jobs which best suit you before they even hit the market. Remember this could be an opportunity for life not just for Christmas!

On the Third day of job hunting…Get ahead of the crowd

Instead of wasting hours of your own time tracking down vacancies make sure you get the right jobs coming directly to you. Registering for job alerts will enable you to save your job searches, set-up email alerts to make sure you get the latest jobs, upload and save your CV and review your previous applications.

On the Fourth day of job hunting …Develop the perfect CV

Every job hunter needs an impressive CV that describes their educational and professional history. A well-prepared and individually tailored CV is invaluable and can greatly improve your chances of getting the job you want.

On the Fifth day of job hunting…Make sure you’re relevant

It is surprising how many people send in CV’s that haven’t been tailored to specific job criteria. In order for recruiters to get through the bulk of applications received, they scan through the details, noting keywords, skills and specific work experience that match the details of the job ad. That’s why, to get yourself noticed, you need to concentrate on getting your CV to talk directly to the recruiter and in the language they understand. By adapting this, each time you apply to a unique job vacancy you can make sure you are telling them exactly what they want to hear.

On the Sixth day of job hunting…Get organised

Make sure you keep a record of all the roles you have applied for and use a spreadsheet to document all of your applications. Include contact details and make sure you follow up all your applications. It’s also a really good idea to log all your meetings and interviews in a calendar.

On the Seventh day of job hunting…Get expert help

We’ve got 30 years worth of recruitment experience so why not take advantage of it? Our recruitment consultants work a niche 'vertical market’ structure for each specialist division, giving unrivalled coverage and understanding. In this way, we offer a truly consultative recruitment service.

On the Eighth day of job hunting …Be patient

Be prepared to accept that you could be looking at longer time scales than you might have expected a couple of years ago. A lot of recruiters are taking more time to make sure they recruit the best applicant and therefore it can be a much longer process.

On the Ninth Day of job hunting…Use technology

To stand out from the masses, you have to be creative to get noticed. A well written CV and cover letter is only just the start. What about creating a blog to boast about your skills? Employers know that the most productive employees are those who take initiative and are excited about their work. By taking these extra steps, you’re positioning yourself as the talent that they’re looking for, not just another resume in a pile.

On the Tenth Day of job hunting…Get networking

Whether you want to discover a better way to write your CV, find job leads faster or simply network better then using social media tools like LinkedIn and Twitter could really give you the edge. The bigger your network the more contacts (and potential employers) you will be exposing yourself to.

On the Eleventh Day of job hunting…Be resilient

There are many reasons that you might not be selected for a role and its best not to take it too personally. More often than not, there may be a ‘behind-the-scenes story’. Take any feedback on-board and work though any areas you might want to improve on. It may take time but you will get there in the end, with some careful thought and some good advice.

On the Twelfth Day of job hunting…Shine!

So you’ve done your research, found the perfect role, written a spot-on CV and bagged an interview, now what? When it comes to landing that dream job, it is usually the candidate who performs best at the interview who wins. Even if other contenders have more impressive resumes, better qualifications and more experience, employers are invariably swayed by the person who has obviously done extensive job interview preparation and impresses most on the day. With all of that done, the dream job should be yours for the taking - good luck!

A Healthy Mix – Blended Sourcing Strategies

2009-11-18T16:37:00.001Z

Can you afford not to explore a potential 50% cost saving on your projects?

The final topic I addressed at last months Lean Government conference focused on alternatives to expensive consultancy resource. Consultancy led solutions are often chosen for the wrong reasons and can result in unnecessarily high cost and scope creep.

So, what is the alternative to using expensive consultancy resource?

Businesses like Sanderson have spent a long time developing market knowledge - with a particular focus on skills and capability. As a result we have access to a wide range of niche skills through contractors or smaller niche consultancies. When this experience is drawn together it’s possible to build a solution that offers greater levels of skill, experience and knowledge whilst costing less. More importantly, this type of solution is far more likely to focus entirely on your key deliverables.

What risks are recruitment organisations able to take?

This was a question asked at the Lean Government conference. It led initially to a comparison with the risks taken by consultancies – risks that in reality are minimal…..for them. The consensus view was that consultancies now look to pass risk back to the customer. From my perspective, a recruitment business like ours is less inclined to take financial risk, but is quite willing to share the objectives and deliverables of your project – a partnership approach that is less likely to be taken by a consultancy.

Where has this approach worked?

Sanderson has experience of delivering a range of projects using blended resource. Over the last 12 months, the quotes from bigger consultancies have been anything between 30% and 100% more expensive than ours. Our case study looked at the successful implementation of an Oracle EB-Suite into Surrey Police at 50% of the cost quoted by Oracle.

The reality is that every deliverable, every work-package should be reviewed against a full range of sourcing options. It is all too easy to plump for a consultancy solution, but it is likely to be far more expensive and less focused. The UK’s flexible (i.e. contract) resource market is one of the most mature in the world. By bringing the appropriate skills together in a single package, a decent recruitment organisation can deliver everything that a large consultancy can and more.

But there’s no point pretending that this is a step for the feint hearted – remember the old adage ‘no-one ever got fired for choosing IBM’. Taking this approach means that you’ll need strong stakeholder support and effective governance. That said, a cost cutting agenda is clearly paramount at present and likely to become stronger over the next 12 months – can you afford not to explore a potential 50% cost saving on your projects?

Skills Acquisition – Whatever happened to the War for Talent?

2009-10-29T15:45:00.002Z

In recent years, there have been plenty of column inches devoted to the “War for Talent”. It’s become something of a cliché and given the number of recent redundancies may appear incongruous. Despite the recession, the war rumbles on. Where professional roles are concerned, the UK has a growing skills gap that is projected to peak in 2020. Whilst the fall in GDP will slow the size of this gap – it is likely to be a problem for us all over the next decade – and especially as we come out of recession and return to growth.

What about the increased number of available candidates?

At the peak of the boom and thus the peak of resource demand, over 90% of candidates who registered with Sanderson were already in jobs. That figure is now less than 50%. Unfortunately this does not mean that the skills shortage problem has gone away – it only means that the number of active candidates has increased. Most of these active candidates will offer generic skills that you probably already have within your organisation. The problem is that highly skilled people, with niche experience are staying put as opposed to moving around the market.

Adverts = lots of response. But is the response any good?

Possibly yes… but probably no. An advertising led approach to candidate and skills acquisition will get you lots of CV’s, but the best talent (paralysed by perceived market instability) is staying where it is. As a result the skills you attract may not be aligned to your business objectives.

As a result, you really need to ensure that your recruitment partners are adding real value. They should work with you in a way that:

Offers a real life view of the market – i.e. that passive candidates are not moving for either agency or direct attraction. The recession has changed people’s view of employment and you will need to take a more joined up strategy in order to tease out the real talent from the market by managing their views and opinions.

Ensures it’s not about money – the real talent in the market place, and particularly highly / niche skilled candidates are not enticed solely by the money or the brand (especially as so many brands have become tarnished in the last 12 months). Every job has to be positioned correctly – in a way that reassures the candidate that it is right for them and worth moving for.

Makes honesty the best policy – very few businesses can show consistent or aggressive growth and it is more likely you have had to cut back and reposition in order to grow again. Be honest, share the pain you have experienced and share your vision of the future. Good quality candidates will do their research anyway, honesty will build some trust.

Makes partnership the only way – your recruitment partner becomes your voice in the market and an extension of your own employment brand, ensuring you are marketed well to your chosen candidate market. This can only be done with a long-term commitment and strategy. If you get this right you can begin to drive both candidate sentiment and market perception – get it wrong and these elements will work against you.

Done correctly you will end up with a partnering arrangement with a business who will develop a network of top quality talent on your behalf. This not only delivers better results for you, it is also more fulfilling for the recruiter and will ensure you have a long term relationship to rely upon – especially as we move towards a decade of shortages in key highly skilled areas.

Contact me on Twitter @NickWalrond, or by email at Nick.Walrond@sandersonplc.com. Or simply leave a comment below.

"Carpet War" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - (Photomish Dan)

"Open to Partnership" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - (CQuarles)

Recruitment Process Efficiency - A lot more interesting than it sounds

2009-10-20T10:29:00.001+01:00

As I discussed in last weeks blog, the recent masterclass I gave at a Lean Government event focused on cost efficiency and the development of a lean approach to resourcing.

I divided the masterclass into three topic areas, the first of which was ‘Process Efficiency’. Not a title to set the world on fire, I admit – but something which is a lot more interesting than it sounds – and if it’s not interesting it’s certainly worth knowing. Either way, it’s what I want to look at this week before moving on to ‘Skills Acquisition’ and ‘Blended Sourcing Models’ in future postings. As a whole I’m hoping that my practical approach will put you on a lean resourcing path.

A "One Stop Shop" is not necessarily Lean

In recent years a lot of businesses in both the public and private sectors have moved towards a one stop resourcing shop – this is either run by an in-house team or outsourced to an MSP (Managed Service Provider) or RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcer). As a solution this may work - BUT, and it’s a big but (hence the capitals) it will be geared towards a ‘high volume, low unit cost’ model which will has a major pitfall – it encourages a strictly transactional hiring relationship with the candidates you target. (i.e. need a person – go to market, need a person - go to market etc, etc, etc).

‘You may think that your unit price is competitive, and indeed it may be, but the person you get will not be delivering value for money.’

This means that your cost per hire remains low, but that when you need skilled professionals you’ll be recruiting resource that is below par. Without a proper relationship with the market and some real resourcing expertise this approach will just carry on carrying on. You may think that your unit price is competitive, and indeed it may be, but the person you get will not be delivering value for money.

My recommendation...

My recommendation is simple - form direct relationships with businesses that are already active in the candidate market – those that can deliver the skills you need for the future. You need to do this in advance of any resource requirements. It is critical to ensure that your chosen recruitment partner is then able to track both active and passive candidates (i.e. the good one that aren’t looking for work) to ensure you get someone who is well aligned to your strategic objectives.

...then focus on your non-permanent population

From a total cost cutting perspective, it is our experience that most businesses will achieve the best results by focusing on their professional non-permanent population – be they contractors, professional temps, consultant or interims. – it is likely that a large percentage of this resource is not controlled by any process – and whilst the direct hiring relationship increases the chance of getting the right individual, the lack of control will have led to over-spend and increased risk.

We regularly see situations where contractors have been hired directly by senior stakeholders, against their own budgets, at rates significantly over the market norm. In addition, it’s unlikely that contractors will be operating via robust terms of business, or indeed have undergone the correct level of compliance checking (see Baroness Scotland for further information).

25% savings are a reality

Targeting non-permanent resource in a coordinated and constructive way - ‘finding and replacing’ where appropriate - will (on average) deliver 25% cost savings. Most larger organisations spend in excess of £2m on professional non-permanent resource and should be able to show a minimum of £500k in savings.

Handled correctly, you will have a strong relationship with expert recruiters (in specialist areas) that will deliver the talent that you need whilst working within a framework that delivers value for money and manages risk.

How you get to this point is another topic all together, but as they say – if you’re interested ‘Ask me how’!

Contact me on Twitter @NickWalrond, or by email at Nick.Walrond@sandersonplc.com. Or simply leave a comment below.

"Lean" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - (Zepfanman)
"Piggy savings bank" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - (AlanCleaver)

Knowledge Based Recruitment - A Lean Approach

2009-10-07T14:26:00.002+01:00

I know this subject has the potential to sound rather dry, but it is something I’m genuinely passionate about. It’s arguably the most important subject in our industry right now – combining a grown up approach to getting the right resource with the need to save money. The danger is to ramble on about theory without actually achieving anything.

Presenting a Masterclass

Last week I was asked to present a masterclass at a Lean Government event, focusing on cost efficiency and the development of a lean approach to resourcing and recruitment. The challenge was to ensure that the session was informative and left those attending with some practical measures to implement within their own organisations. At the same time, the subject needed to be covered in sufficient depth to do it justice.

After much deliberation, we decided to cover three key areas;

i) Process Efficiency,
ii) Skills Acquisition, and
iii) An Alternative Solution to Consultancies.

Getting the theory out of the way

I’m hoping to give you the same information via this and subsequent blogs, but wanted to set the whole thing up first. So, having said I’d stay away from theory – here’s the theory bit!

It’s just not possible to successfully make your resourcing process ‘leaner’ if you don’t have a relationship that you can rely upon with a recruitment partner (or partners).

What became apparent to me whilst putting the masterclass together was the importance of holding real business relationships in making resourcing leaner and more efficient. It’s just not possible to successfully make your resourcing process ‘leaner’ if you don’t have a relationship that you can rely upon with a recruitment partner (or partners).

Back to basics – a really simple example

Let me explain what I mean. If you need a highly skilled person to come into your business and assist you in delivering a specific objective (whatever your business and whatever the objective) it’s vital that your recruitment process will:

a) deliver someone who can do the job, and ;
b) Deliver someone who is aligned to your strategy - i.e. they share and buy into your vision and are willing to work with you to get there.

Accepting that this underpins the acquisition of critical skills the key question is then - how do you achieve this?

What won’t work...

...picking up the phone to a resourcing or recruitment supplier with whom you have had little or no contact in the past. They don’t know you, they don’t you’re your company and they won’t be aligned to your strategy. At best they’ll be able to provide you with a selection of the most available people who have the skills to do the job – but will they share your business vision?

What will work...

...picking up the phone today and building relationships with recruitment suppliers before you need critical resource. Share your business vision with them, your aims, your objectives and your wildest dreams if that’s what it takes. Then make sure that they are properly connected to the market and will want to share your vision with the best people they know. When the need for skilled resource does arise then your chance of getting someone who is genuinely aligned to your objectives will increase dramatically.

And Finally

It’s likely that you will end up forming a partnership with one or more recruiters. They will be happy to talk through potential requirements, give you a view on the market, or act as an expert sounding board. More importantly, they’ll be motivated to work with you and find you the right person.

Without this approach you’ll run the risk of ending up with a decidedly average solution – and in these ‘lean’ times of efficiency and business change we need to look beyond average.

So, my advice is simple. Develop a relationship of trust with a true recruitment consultant (i.e. a recruitment professional), who will understand your vision, represent you effectively in the market place and use their own relationships to find the best people – preferably before you need them.

Only when you’ve done this are you ready to look at your resourcing process in more detail.

Look out for some practical advice on what to do next in my blogs on ‘Process Efficiency’, ‘Skills Acquisition’, ‘An Alternative Solution to Consultancies’.

Tell us what you think in the comments below, or why not contact me on Twitter @NickWalrond.

"Boxes" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons – (Adam Pieniazek)
"Binoculars" Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - (Paul.Carroll)

Delivering More For Less

2009-10-02T15:52:00.001+01:00

The chances are that you currently have to deliver your projects with less budget and less people, but with an increased expectation from your management team or shareholders. You’re not alone - the project world is currently beset by a need to deliver the same or more in less time and at less cost.

So what do you do?

Focus on what is essential - identify the specific deliverables within your project workstreams that will deliver what you want (i.e. what your sponsors want). These have to remain relevant and visible throughout the course of the project
Align what you are doing - identify the actions that you need to take to deliver what is essential and eliminate all other activity. There is often a long list of deliverables that can be taken out of the project without affecting the end result
Show demonstrable progress - make individuals accountable for each action and ensure that progress is clearly visible to everyone

Better resource at a reduced cost

These guidelines can also be applied to project resourcing to reduce cost whilst delivering better results. It’s likely that by identifying what must be delivered in order to meet expectations that you will be able to rationalize – for example removing expensive consultancy resource in favour of in-house skills or independent contractor expertise.

The open market can deliver a high level of skill and capability if you access it in the right way. By developing a strong relationship of trust with a knowledgeable recruiter you are likely to be able to access a higher level of skill and capacity than you are receiving from large consultancies (or in many cases in-house resource).

Resource that does what YOU want

Furthermore the workload of independent contractor expertise can be directly aligned to the actions you have identified by

a) implementing project milestones, and,
b) inserting deliverable and retention clauses into your contracts with these individuals - ensuring collective responsibility for the end goal and a higher level of engagement

This is not revolutionary as many organisations are now approaching their projects in this way - but it does require a certain amount of courage. You may initially be going against the grain to use resource in this way, but you can make the transition more easily with the right support structure and partnerships in place.

What does this mean for lean?
By applying lean principles it is possible to use the current “budget cut” climate as an opportunity to reinforce the objectives of a project and to eliminate wasteful or non-aligned activity. Projects always suffer a degree of scope creep, and over-governance - over time and they tend to gain sub-projects and multiple objectives. Now is the time to lighten the burden, slim down to a simpler set of actions, review your resourcing arrangements in favour of more cost effective skills, and get back on track.

“Delivery” Image source: Flickr Creative Commons (kamshots)

Confused Recruiters and Technology

2009-08-11T14:14:00.009+01:00

This is the final article in a series of 5. Over the last few weeks we've looked at the tools available to candidates and whether they add any value to the recruitment process. This week we conclude by offering a series of simple tips for employers to consider when balancing technology with traditional recruitment.

Practical steps to consider:

1. Decide upon a format for applications (right now that’s probably a traditional e-mailable CV, unless you work in a creative or design led industry)

2. If you recruit via agencies, use the ones you trust to give you the people qualities that are not evident in a CV. Make them earn their money- they should know their candidates, and they should know you- it’s their job to pick suitable candidates for interview

3. If you recruit directly, use websites, on-line CV’s and social networking as supporting information, but be prepared to move with the recruitment market

4. You should also consider telephone interviewing prior to a face to face. 20 minutes on the phone will save you time and enable to check key facts and establish at least some view of the candidates behavioural fit

5. Make use of psychometric profiling. Personality questionnaires can cut through all of the business waffle and give you an overview of someone’s potential strengths and weaknesses. At interview use the information to probe candidates in any areas that cause concern

In other words, make sure you are assessing behaviours and cultural fit in addition to style and technical ability. Good candidates can demonstrate their people skills on-spec, unprepared and unembellished. Assessing these skills in the raw and without a potentially distorting technology lens is what will get you the right people.

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"New Media Proves I'm Brilliant"

2009-07-29T13:58:00.008+01:00

This is the fourth in a series of 5 articles. Over the last few weeks we’ve looked at the tools available to candidates and whether they add any value to the recruitment process. This week, we move towards a conclusion.

What can you do as an employer?

In some ways, the introduction of new technology should not change anything about your recruitment process. The CV has always been a poor predictor of character. Any jobseeker with access to the internet can now get useful, cheap advice on how to build a traditional CV. At a click you can find all the resources you need to create a great CV, from as little as £5.

As one of the online CV writing services boldly states:

"Why do some people always get the job they want? Because their CV wins them an interview!"

And that is the key point. A CV is a tool used to “win an interview”. The danger is that as recruiters, we could be blinded by science. It’s not the website, or the articles, or the blog, or the image on the video clip that you’re employing, it’s the person.

"Great, they’ve written 57 articles for various learned journals, filmed themselves delivering a lecture on change management and have networked links to three CEO’s, but can they project manage the implementation of a new and challenging HR system in the Swindon HQ?"

A recruitment process should be simple, logical and designed to assess the skills and behaviours required of a particular role. There is currently a temptation to make use of new technology ‘because it’s there’ – in other words, it is possible to let additional forms of presenting information or selling ability to drive your recruitment agenda. The starting point should be the role and its requirements and then the process you are going to employ.

Next week; 5 practical points for employers to consider, 'Confused Recruiters and Technology'.

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Professional Networking - Mutual backslapping?

2009-07-15T10:49:00.008+01:00

This is the third in a series of 5 articles. Last week we looked at the range of on-line tools available to candidates. This week, we focus on Professional Networking sites.

In addition to more general sites like Facebook, business networking sites such as LinkedIn, Plaxo, StumbleUpon and ZoomInfo are now being used in record numbers.

Linkedin is the site of choice for business professionals, with 23 million registered users worldwide and over 1 million here in the UK. Although not extensively used by employers in the UK as a source of candidate information, their use within the recruitment process is growing.

From a candidate perspective, the network offers two key benefits:

It allows potential employers to reference you (informally) in terms of the quality of your contacts and the information on your pages. This referencing may only take the form of getting a better picture or perception of you as an individual, but it could sway the decision to interview one way or the other

It allows candidates to legitimately 'be on the market'. With sites such as LinkedIn becoming the norm, you can now be found by alternative employers or head-hunters with relative ease. This should obviously increase the number of opportunities open to you, without the fallout of your boss finding your (traditional) CV on the market

But what does the use of professional networking really tell us? Does a large and impressive looking network prove anything other than someone uses the site exhaustively? If anyone suggested they had 1000's of Facebook friends, we wouldn’t consider that to be real proof of their popularity. A network of professional friends and ex-colleagues means that it is relatively easy to be recommended by a whole range of impressive sounding individuals, but does it prove that someone is really any good?

For the potential employer, access to all of this information may overcomplicate the recruitment process. When used properly by potential employees, networking sites expand upon skills and experience, give a greater insight into the way a candidate works and an idea of who they are associated with. When used improperly (or perhaps in a misguided way) they oversell experience and go on to prove that people will always be able to get their mates to 'recommend' them.

Next week we look what you can do as an employer to cut a sensible swathe through all of this technical noise or 'New Media Proves I'm Brilliant'.

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Profiles and perception

2009-07-10T13:58:00.006+01:00

With the traditional CV under threat, does technology make it more difficult for employers to get a true picture of their potential employees?

This is the second in a series of 5 articles. Last week we looked at the increasing use of technology to sell candidate experience verses the traditional CV. This week, can employers see the wood for the trees?

Profiles and perception

There are now a range of tools available which are competing with or complementing the traditional CV. Today’s younger candidates have grown up with social networking, YouTube, instant messaging and blogs. This is particularly true for the generation born after 1989, often classed as ‘the Internet Generation’ or ‘Generation Y’:

According to a US survey in 2007, 97% of Generation Y own a computer, 76% use instant messaging, 28% own a blog and 44% read a blog, 76% of college students have a Facebook account, and this take up is still increasing.

It is possible to increase your profile and therefore perceived employability by utilising all of the tools at your disposal. This is obviously what candidates want, but does make it more difficult for an employer to focus on real ability and skill set as opposed to perceived ability and on-line hype.

It’s not just the American youth who are taking advantage of cyberspace for recruitment purposes. Virtual interaction is taking place amongst experienced professionals here in the UK too, even at the highest levels:

Sanderson’s recent survey of professional candidates on their database showed that 46% of respondents had a profile on Facebook and 42% on LinkedIn. 91% expected employers to conduct a Google search or check details on networking sites before interview.

Added value or information overload?

With the increased use of on-line CV’s and “Personal Professional Websites” candidates can highlight experience and demonstrate his or her skills through references, pieces of work, opinions and case studies. Professional blogs can highlight their knowledge and interest in their field, showing them as an interested expert in what they do.

But the same tips (and tricks) that were always available to candidates writing standard CV’s are now available “writ large” for on-line profiles. There were always CV builders, CV writing services and professional CV checkers, plus an array of different templates to choose from.

Over 70% of respondents to a recent Sanderson survey said that they had used CV writing assistance/tips available from the internet (Sanderson surveyed 1397 professional candidates on their database in May 2008)

Now there are a whole host of additional points for employers to consider:

Did the candidate build the site themselves?
Does it matter if they didn’t?
Are they better than a candidate without a website?
Do I have the time to check all of this information- the blogs, the articles the work samples?
Is it relevant?
Is it all the candidates own work?
Am I being blinded by the impressive presentation and missing the content?

Essentially the internet means that you can find any information you want, get whatever help you need, create what you want and link it to anything that adds to your suitability. This doesn’t mean that the information available to potential employers is necessarily untrue, just that there’s so much of it.

Next week 'Professional Networking – Mutual Backslapping?'

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More information, more interactive, more lies?

2009-07-06T13:49:00.003+01:00

This is the first in a series of 5 articles. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at the tools available to candidates, whether they add any value and what employers should do to make sense out of it all.

With the traditional CV under threat, does technology make it more difficult for employers to get a true picture of their potential employees?

Recruitment used to be so simple didn’t it? Read the pile of CV’s on your desk and pick the strongest candidates to interview. The CV told you what you needed to know- education, experience and employment history. Its look and feel gave you additional insight into the candidate based on layout, spelling and punctuation. There was always the danger of embellishment or fabrication, but essentially the CV felt like an egalitarian and fair way of comparing candidates via a single document.

As we enter an age where commentators are predicting the “death of the CV” or at least a diminished role for the traditional CV within the recruitment process, candidates are increasingly using technology to sell themselves.

We’ve all had the sales pitch. These tools will make recruitment easier, offer more information, and provide links to examples of articles, blogs, videos and references.

Yet, with technology comes the opportunity to “enhance” ability, oversell experience or just downright lie. It is often more difficult to spot embellishment or “over exuberance” than deliberate falsehoods, with candidates wringing every ounce out of their experience. As one blogger advised recently when answering a query about CV style; “truth, yes, modesty, NO” - but where does confidence end and overconfidence begin on a factual document like the CV?

Next week 'Profiles and Perception'; does an on-line presence add value to the recruitment process or simply 'big-up' less able candidates?

The impact of modernisation on employees and employers...

2009-07-03T09:12:00.005+01:00

This is the final article in a series of 5. In the last few weeks we’ve looked at photographs on CV’s, personal professional websites, on-line CV’s and professional networking. This week, a conclusion of sorts.

What does all this mean for potential employees and potential employers?

It is likely that the traditional CV driven recruitment process that we are most used to in the UK is starting to develop for the first time.

Where photographs and videos have failed to make an impact and appeared ever so “look at me” to the British; the slightly removed and professionally acceptable on-line approach has far more chance of success. It sits more comfortably with our more reserved psyche and allows candidates to state their credentials without having to overtly sell themselves.

OK, this is obviously a generalization, and there are plenty of Brits who can sell themselves effectively, but the use of websites, on-line CV’s and social networking is increasing. They are unlikely to replace the traditional CV for some time, but will be used to form a more complete picture of potential candidates- especially as the on-line Generation Y become the hiring managers.

Perhaps we feel more comfortable when hiding behind technology, perhaps the environment appears more appropriate and professional. Either way, if your upper lip is too stiff, technology won’t solve the problem for you. If it works, your problems have only just begun, because CV’s only have one real purpose- to get you an interview.

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Professional Networking - get other professionals to sing your praises

2009-06-04T09:33:00.008+01:00

This is the fourth in a series of 5 articles. In the last couple of weeks we’ve looked at photographs on CV’s, personal professional websites and on-line CV’s. Today - Professional Networking.

We British professionals can also get help for our modest personalities from business networking websites, the use of which is currently booming in the UK. Facebook is popular for social and, to a lesser extent, business networking, but the sites that focus purely on business – LinkedIn, Plaxo, StumbleUpon and ZoomInfo – are now being used in record numbers.

LinkedIn is the site of choice for business professionals with 23 million registered users worldwide (as of June 2008) and over 1 million here in the UK.

"LinkedIn is like an online Rolodex, where users post their résumé and website addresses, invite colleagues to be a connection, and through them connect to a vast network of business professionals."

Wheeler/Taleo

Again, it appeals to our sense of using technology in a professional and business-like way as opposed to for overt and obvious self promotion. It is almost like inviting a prospective employer into your 'professional world' and even more attractive to the more modest amongst us is that you can get other people to “sell” you via recommendations. We are all more comfortable with other people singing our praises, especially when we don’t have to be there to listen to them.

Having said this, it is worth bearing in mind the way you use a site like LinkedIn. It should be about the quality and relevance of your contacts, not the quantity. What would you think about someone who had 5000 ‘friends’ on Facebook? Would you consider that person to be hugely popular with an outstanding personality and ability to network? Or, would you consider them to be at best a contacts magpie, and at worst a rather sad individual with no life outside the virtual world?

Used in the right way, it allows potential candidates to set their caliber and experience in a subtle and professional way. Perhaps best of all for the less flash amongst us and those with the stiffest of lips, it allows you to sell yourself in a tasteful and acceptable manner.

Next week we look at 'The Impact of modernisation on employers and employees'.

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Join the Sanderson Recruitment LinkedIn group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1925552

The right sort - what we do like: an acceptable approach for the British psyche?

2009-05-27T09:52:00.008+01:00

This is the third in a series of 5 articles. In the last couple of weeks we’ve looked at photographs on CV’s and video CV’s. Today - is there any form of self promotion that we Brits are likely to embrace?

The good news for candidates and recruiters alike is that more recent advances in the development of the CV do appear acceptable to the British psyche. The Virtual CV in particular has a good chance of success in either the form of a “Personal Professional Website” or online CV.

Personal Professional Websites- a more business-like approach?

We are used to assessing a company, hotel or even restaurant via their website and it appears we are comfortable using the same format to assess people. Much more than an online representation of the CV, personal professional websites give employers the opportunity to see a ‘work portfolio’ and find out more about the skills, knowledge and motivations of a candidate than they could ever hope to glean from a traditional CV. More importantly, they appear to provide an environment in which we are happy to promote ourselves in what is seen as a professional and “tasteful” way.

Andrew Dodds, a recruiting manager for a Technical Design company agrees:

“A well put together personal website gives you a much broader view of the candidate. It does not appear too salesy or pushy and has become far more widespread in the technical design and IT industries- neither of which are particularly known for their in-your-face applicants”

On-line CV’s- a natural progression?

Launched in February 2008, VisualCV is a free service for professionals who want to quickly and easily create a comprehensive and professional looking CV online. In addition to the information you would expect to find on a CV it allows you to be more creative. You can include links to work samples, PDF’s of reference letters, hyperlinks to employer information, links to blogs and other media. Links to the pages can be sent to prospective employers and shared with firms that have pages on the site.

VisualCV was aimed at the American market, but has received a lot of good press coverage here in the UK. It’s too early to say what the take up will be but this is a tool that our industry should watch with interest. It might just provide the easy-to-use, standardised online template that UK hirers and recruiters could benefit from. It seems like a natural way of using technology to sell yourself, but UK candidates and employers have yet to catch on in large numbers.

In the case of either a website or on-line CV perhaps it is the on-line aspect which sits comfortably with our Britishness. It appears in-line with the way we do business, displays style in addition to content in an accepted fashion and perhaps most importantly appears slightly more removed and professional - very British indeed.

Next week we look at 'Professional Networking - getting other professionals to sing your praises'.

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The Video CV - How happy are you on camera?

2009-05-27T09:48:00.003+01:00

This is the second in a series of 5 articles. Last week we looked at photographs on CV’s. This week, we’re heading for the movies.

The Video CV is a step further again, and one which research in the US in 2007 by career publisher Vault found that:

“89% of American employers would watch a video resume, although only 17% had seen one.”

www.vault.com

The general consensus amongst American employers was that video CVs would become more commonplace.

Here in the UK, some candidates are starting to utilise video to help them to stand out from the crowd. Employers are increasingly receiving short video clips as CV attachments. But do they get watched?

Recruiters and employers who favour video CVs believe that the good ones show personality and enable them to see a candidate’s communication skills at an early stage. But the video CV has not yet taken off in the UK. Some commentators feel that our cultural reserve means that it never will in this country. As Felix Wetzel, marketing director of www.jobsite.co.uk says:

“At this stage the UK is just dabbling in the area. Most employers still prefer more traditional applications.”

www.personneltoday.com, June 2007

Stephen Rolls, an HR Director at Deloitte is equally unconvinced:

“I can see that recruiters get a better feel for the candidate with a video CV, but what you really need at this stage of the process is factual information. For this reason, I’m not sure video CVs will become popular here.”

www.personneltoday.com, June 2007

As a recruiter, would you be swayed by a video CV? Positively or negatively? Perhaps it is our British sense of fair play that makes us shun the moving image CV. Or perhaps we just think it’s naff and embarrassing. Either way, it is indicative in a small way, of our reticence to sell ourselves to an employer or be sold to by a potential employee.

Next week we look at technology that Brits are beginning to embrace in 'The right sort- what we do like: an acceptable approach for the British psyche?'

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Can technology help to liberate the British from their reserved approach to self promotion?

2009-05-12T17:41:00.001+01:00

We are not naturally a nation of boasters. Our cultural and social background is rooted in self depreciation, modesty and irony. This is in contrast to the US, for example, where there is a more self confident, brash and optimistic approach.

You only have to compare our contrasting styles of television to see the difference- the British struggle in the rain of a gritty London or Manchester, whilst the Americans enjoy excessive wealth and success somewhere in the eternal sunshine. Broad brush admittedly, but generally true nevertheless.

But how does this relate to recruitment? Our reserved approach to self promotion means that what we Brits find most difficult in the job market is selling ourselves, or indeed, being overly sold to by others.

How do we use technology to push ourselves, and in a way that is acceptable to equally reserved employers?

It’s just not cricket! - what we don’t like

The traditional CV- shouldn’t we just leave it alone?

The first point of contact within the recruitment process has traditionally been the CV- and up until recently, the British CV has resisted change, especially where that change goes against our national character.

Would you put a photograph on your CV?

Look at photographs on CV’s for example. European, North American and Asian applicants use photographs of themselves to personalise or rather humanise their CV’s. The British think differently.

A straw pole we carried out recently elicited the following comments from the UK based professionals we approached; “photographs are cheesy and embarrassing”, “very American…..I would never include one”, “I always think photographs on CV’s are the preserve of the slightly weird”.

Although photographs are used in some of the more creative industries, their use has never really caught on in the UK. We looked at 2000 CV’s of IT and Finance professionals of which less than 2.5% included a suitably business-like mug shot.

As a recruiter, are you swayed by a photograph? Positively or negatively? Perhaps it is our British sense of fair play that makes us shun the photograph. Or perhaps we just think it’s naff and embarrassing. Either way, it is indicative in a small way, of our reticence to sell ourselves to an employer or be sold to by a potential employee.

This is the first in a series of 5 articles. Next week, 'The Video CV – how happy are you on camera?'

Join the Sanderson Recruitment LinkedIn group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1925552